To want guests to remove their shoes when walking through my house?

[MummyLizH]

Not sure if I'm particularly bothered by this because it's mainly the in-laws who do it, but most people know I expect shoes off as you walk through the front door.

I've mentioned it to dh a few times, I think he thinks I'm just picking at his parents behaviour, but it makes my blood boil... I clean and hoover my home, invite you round and you tread your dirty shoes all over the floor which me and my kids sit and play on (and my little girl crawls around on) . My parents have the decency to bring their slippers!

Wish I had a housekeeper, I'd even let him/her wear shoes indoors, inside shoes of course.

Can you provide them with these?

They'll soon get the hint...

Bacon

I hope you're joking. That's terribly rude.

Oh yes, please don't Dettol (!) your pooch's paws! Their sense of smell is so acute that that must reek like a chemical plant to them.

No one has answered and this was a genuine question, what if the visitor has smelly and/or sweaty feet??
I visit homes in my job and only one person in 4 years has asked me to remove my shoes, the carpet was filthy and has serious MH problems. The others, I see shoes on the entrance so I ask if I need to remove mine, they always said no.

*The person had MH problems, not the carpet

All those of you without a wicker basket of artisan slippers by your front door please leave this way >>>>>>>>>>>> you are not true Mumsnetters

Personally I have stone floors and three big dogs who have been known to pee on their own feet when doing a wee in the garden. I sometimes have to insist that people keep their shoes on when they visit.

Kione

I wouldn't care. We offer everybody rewashable (or frequent visitors personalised) slippers.

Stinky feet shouldn't be an issue.

People often offer to take shoes off at mine but I tell them it's fine to keep them on on the ground floor (all hard floors). Obviously muddy shoes I would expect to be taken off.

I don't want any shoes worn upstairs or downstairs (mostly carpet). My db does keep his on sometimes but I let that one go as I can't be bothered having the argument (this makes me a "clean freak" in his eyes)

I must have missed the post about dettol on the dog's paws. What an awful thing to do, I'm appalled.

Hm...

TBH, I've never insisted on an animal doing anything with their paws before entering.

Unless they're super muddy, in this case the pooch will get a towel.

I do wonder if baby wipes would work...? Those without perfume?

Idk, animals are a bit like children. There just off-limits, aren't they?

Not that animals=children.

But you just don't complain about an animal (or a child), do you? Unless you want to start war in your sitting room, I guess 😂

Ok so everyone that wants people to take their shoes off offer slippers?
And even if the visit lasts 20-30min do you wash the slippers after?

But not everyone on this thread offers slippers. Personally I'd have more problems with smelly feet than mood or rain from the street. Where I live is not common to walk past vomit or urine!

I know there's no answer but I'm hugely hung up on this one. I don't like being told what I can and can't wear on my feet in other people;s houses which may or may not be as clean or as barefoot or unprotected foot friendly as the hosts like to think!

I don't have a rule at home, but it can be painful. We tried laminate and people walked on it in wet trainers. Looked awful so then I'd mop it and then people walked on the wet! No better with dirt and mud, on carpets. Tried natural wood and now have the joy of watching my SILs, in particular, sink their stilettos into it. I love having people round me, and I want them to feel welcomed in every way. But, some days!

*Mud not mood

Kione

Well, regular guests have their personal slippers.

And yes, our washable slippers get washed every time somebody that doesn't have personalised slippers uses them.

dazy

I honestly don't know yet what to do about that. Stilettos... sigh.

I have contemplated putting a carpet (not wall to wall or white) in our downstairs sitting room.

1horatio Thank you.

Have tried rugs. But then I find I'm watching if they're on or off rug, and feeling like they deliberately stand in off rug places to annoy me! Apart from that, rugs can be slidy.

I don't mind that it happens. But for some reason I struggle to watch it actually in the process of happening! It's the same with carpet, when I can see someone is wearing a shoe which actually has a bit of mud on the side or the bottom of it! Or when something drops, and I'm tempted to dive and move it before it's trodden in. So I watch, trying to be calm, when I know exactly what is going to happen.

I'd like to be able to magic myself super cool.

Well, I have never ever seen that in the two countries I've lived

Kione?

Washable slippers? Not common back home at all. We also have socks (we also wash them) with these little anti-slip things on. To account for more guests or and especially children (we do have pretty much every 'adult size', but not kids slippers. Unless for children that visit often)

But DH and I had a serious discussion and a list of pro and cons (and considered the layout of our house) and then came to the conclusion that this was for the best.
DH said that in his opinion this would go over pretty well in the UK.

Dazy

TBH, I don't care about the rug downstairs. That's a seriously old thing, and whilst it definitely does not look pristine it looks fine :) despite being quite a bit older than I am. So, the rug can take it...
But these ugly nicks Stilettos make? Gah!! I wonder if there are rubber thingies or something you could give to stiletto wearing guests to put on?

Hmm 🤔🤔

www.cleanheels.co.uk

We do shoes on downstairs but off if your going upstairs as most people are barefoot at bedtime.
Our floor downstairs are wood so makes cleaning easier.
TBH visitors rarely go upstairs so not an issue.

Ignore that last post, wrong thrad ... nothing to see here!

Bottom line, for me, my SiLs are wonderful hostesses. They would not ever make me feel odd about shoes or no shoes in their own homes, with the possible exception of going upstairs in wellies. I think that is the right way to go. I wish I could carry it off the same way, in reverse.

However, they do have laminate, carpets and, most of all - cleaners.