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!

somewhat

We do... 😂😂

A lot of posters must live very rural here, where their shoes are minging dirty covered in mud, dog shit and chewing gum apparently. 🙄

Mine aren't, my guests aren't and I'm never asked nor have I ever asked for shoes off. However if my shoes were muddy, covered in dog shit and chewing gum as is apparently the issue being put forward, I'd certainly take them off, without having to be asked and so would anyone I know. 😂

It sends a message that you care more about your carpets than the comfort of your friends and family.

Sorry but ridiculous to ask, and I wouldn't feel at all comfortable.

What do you do if you're having a party? Expect your pals all dolled up to walk around in stockinged feet?! No thanks

Here we go again. To my mind, very unwelcoming, doesn't show much concern for guests' comfort.

And a bit lower middle class 'precious', but actually I don't have much of a problem with that. It's their house after all. First point is more important.

DH is a city guy and he is a staunch defender of our slippers.

I was scolded every time I forgot to wear slippers when I was a kid (socks or barefoot wasn't good enough), so I'm quite happy we agree on slipper ideas. Also because the LO will probably soon start to crawl (?).

But we don't have carpets (ok, on old carpet, not a beige one), we just have wood floors... :)

Shoes off- normal round here. Dogs pissing and shitting all over the place, people spitting and puking, and you want to walk that through my house? I've never understood why some people think it's acceptable to let their children stand in shopping trolleys for the same reason. Now, that's 'common'.

We don't even have carpets. All wooden floors. Still shoes off or don't come in

EDIT: that's just for the upper floor.

But I do love people that offer to take off their shoes before coming in.

But if you're just coming over for a cup of tea or something and staying downstairs that's ok...

I don't understand all the angst about this, surely it depends on what flooring you have, and how grubby the shoes walking on it are likely to be? I used to have dark coloured carpets, and didn't care about people walking on them in shoes. We have now replaced them with pale, new carpet, and I'd prefer no shoes on inside. I think I am just as welcoming as I always was, I just don't want my carpets ruined.

Shoes caked in mud come off. Otherwise it's fine. I hate being asked to take my shoes off (I comply but don't like it).

In this house it is shoes off if you think they might be mucky. I leave it to visitors to decide, if they ask that is the answer.

I usually wear trainers or boots so my shoes probably are mucky and I take them off.

I reserve the right to get precious if we ever get new carpets...

Only the dc and their friends take shoes off . If my shoes were muddy I'd take them off . I do use doormats properly though !

Can't live much more rurally than we do. More sheep than cars. The problem is more white or cream carpets - can't imagine anyone choosing them. Maybe a straw coloured carpet upstairs but downstairs?. Most people I know have ancient parquet or oak boards with a Turkish rug or similar. White carpets would be laughed at in the same way one sniggers (unkindly perhaps) at people who say serviette, patio or lounge. In same way we think of Daily Mail readers. Sorry that's just how it is. We take Hunters off at back door, remove riding boots in boot room but shoes inside are fine. We do go bare foot/stockinged footed for comfort but not for hygiene reasons.

How is it rude to be asked to take your shoes off in someone's home? They're hardly trying to cause offence - they're just trying to keep their house clean! I think the opposite - it's rude NOT to take your shoes off when you go to someone's house, unless the host specifically asks you to keep them on.

I also feel much more comfortable with shoes off. It feels weird to me walking round a house with shoes on, not to mention what you might be treading from outside into people's carpets.

I think expecting guests to walk about in socks/bare feet when you have wooden floors is the height of bad manners. Even in winter? That must be freezing for some people, very uncomfortable.

It wouldn't occur to me to take shoes off (riding boots etc of course) and I would be uncomfortable without shoes but I also wouldn't be a rude guest.

Would ballet pumps that don't get worn outside be ok in a shoes off house? If so I might get some to keep in the car.

I've always found (just in my experience) that it's the houses I feel least welcome in, with the least welcoming hosts, where I am expected to remove my shoes.

The thing I hate to think about is public loos with pee etc all over the floor, which is then on the bottom of your shoes and which you walk into your/someone else's home. Even worse if a small child crawling around on the floor, picking things off the carpet and putting in their mouths. Outdoor shoes definitely off. Keeping them on is grim.

Mistress - our wooden floors aren't cold, our house is heated.

Not at all!! I even have a quirky sign in the porch telling people to remove them.

Please warn your guests beforehand if you're hosting a party and want shoes off. It gives them the chance to decline or plan their outfits, particularly as you have wood floors which are cold.

Oh hello there shoes on/shoes off debate, my old pal 😂

Has the person whose in laws have them extremely valuable Persian rugs as a wedding gift been on? She gives each visitor a new pair of slippers and then bins them afterwards. (I feel I know far too much of the anatomy if a shoes on/off thread)

OP you sound furious with your in laws but it doesn't sound as though anyone has raised the subject with them. I presume you're expecting your DH to do this?

Where I am from no one removes their shoes and would think you were bonkers if you asked! ( Ireland)

Yeah, I've never come across it in Ireland before either.

Anyway, if I was visiting someone and the first thing they asked me to do was have a rummage around a pile of manky slippers before walking on their tiles, l wouldn't feel very welcome.

Definitely shoes off in the house! I always offer too.
My mum knows my rule but one time of several that she ignored it she trampled cat poo onto my living room carpet then didn't even make a polite offer to help clean it, just sat & watched me do it. I had a crawling baby at the time!

sqoosh

There are actually were useful rewashable ones.

Plus, I think heels can make indents in the floor? That has happened to the floors of a friend of mine...