AIBU not to remove shoes in the home

[Illtellyouwhatswhat10]

Generally we don't ask guests to remove their shoes, and my SIL said she doesn't either. We both agreed that when you go to the trouble to put on a nice outfit, it's ruined when you have to take off your footwear. SIL added that as we both have tiled/wooden floors in downstairs room why would you ask guests to, anyway?

And another thing, it's often not nice to be barefoot in someone else's home (at least in your own place you have your own slippers) and I'm aware that some people may feel conscious about smelly feet/odd unsightly feet/verrucas. Even if hosts provide slippers, would you want to wear something that's been worn by someone else?

I think us shoes off people may be at a disadvantage if it comes to war. The shoes on types will just stand on our toes.

Walking around in your own home with shoes on is odd. So odd. I will never understand it, no matter how many of these threads I read. I get not wanting to take them off in other people's homes, but your own? Nope.

I don't know what I'd do as its never occurred in my personal experience of 30 years.

^That was in reference to question what would I do if someone said they didn't want to take their shoes off, or if someone had smelly feet.

Natsku: I don't think if ever come across anyone who is fundamentally against taking shoes off either. Given I don't ask people and they voluntarily take them off (or ask and do it anyway when I say I not fussed either way), I always wonder how there are so many militant indoor shoe wearers on MN.

I dont bother changing / removing flip flops when I get home in summer because I'm usually straight out of the back door into the garden for one reason or another - what on earth would be the point? :S I do put slippers on in the winter but mainly for my own comfort, not because my outdoor shoes are covered in 'filth' (unless some unfortunate shoe fate has befallen them that day...)

"I have never been to anyone's house where they remove their shoes and ask visitors to do the same. I go to other people's houses all the time. I'm actually baffled by this thread!! Is it a regional thing?"

It might be. I live in South Yorkshire and have lived in West Yorkshire. People have always removed shoes in both places. My in-laws live in Northumberland and they all remove shoes in the house as well.

It does tend to rain a lot in these places, so keeping shoes on is a little unsociable most of the time. In my case I prefer to wear slippers in the house because they are far more comfortable than shoes.

Not read all of the thread, but I have to say I hate being told to take my shoes off. What for? You can just wipe your feet on the doormat ffs. It does ruin outfits, and unless it's extremely muddy, or pissing down with rain, there's no need to remove shoes imo. If people have white or fawn carpets, then more fool them imo.

In addition, we know a couple (middle aged,) who have a full on filthy shithole of a house. We rarely go; maybe twice a year, 3 times tops, and it always smells of sour cheese, cabbage, and a musty attic, and that horrible chav house smell; dust that's been sitting there 6 months, stale fags, and bad breath. Yet they have the temerity to get us to take off our shoes at the front door. More shit and grime comes off the carpet onto our socks, than the other way round. The house is nearly 30 years old, and so are the carpets. They moved in 5 years ago, and have not changed the carpets or even had them cleaned, nor have they ever redecorated, and the house STINKS.

When we get home, DH and I have to throw our socks in the wash, as they are filthy from their smelly, disgusting carpet, along with the rest of our clothes that smell like an old tramp who has spend the night in the back of a refuse truck!

As I said, it's beyond belief that they have the nerve to tell people to take their shoes off. It really grosses me out, walking on their stinking, filthy carpet in my stockinged feet!

"I think us shoes off people may be at a disadvantage if it comes to war. The shoes on types will just stand on our toes."

:)

People can set their own rules in their house.

If you're so prissy that you can't take your shoes off because it'll ruin your outfit then I'm not sure we could be friends anyway (because that's utterly ridiculous) so that's fine.

If you want outside dirt all over your indoors that's your choice. But other people don't like it. So respect their rules in their home. In your home everyone can stomp around in their outfit-completing-shoes to their hearts content

Well, it's kind of 'prissy' to value your floors over your guests.

There's nothing more dour than 'my house, my rules', honestly. Of course reasonable people will obey them, but they won't expect to have an enjoyable / fun / relaxing / raucous time!

Disclaimer: we remove shoes at home, I always offer to remove shoes at others, but never insist on guests removing their shoes at mine.

People are not "valuing floors over guests" - get over yourself and take your shoes off!

"Outfit ruining" again - Get. Over. Yourself.

Outside is dirty. Take them off. What is so hard to understand?

"What is so hard to understand?" is a really twatty thing to say, lmao.

Not as twatty as walking shit all over your mate's floor imao.

Just can't understand how people prefer to be in their shoes - its not comfy to wear shoes all day long, nor good for your feet.

maybe they have comfy shoes...

I wear comfy shoes, but I still prefer to wear slippers at home. I don't ask people to remove their shoes, they just do because everyone does round here anyway.

Are there actually cases in which people have worn shoes inside and people have got ill from the alleged germs they carry? This seems utterly bonkers to me and I think it's really rude to expect people to take their shoes off and either get cold feet or have to put on someone else's manky old slippers.

If you have wooden floors you'll be mopping them reasonably often anyway. I really don't see why you would make people take their shoes off. It's bad hosting and rude.

I take my shoes off in my home but it's the height of bad manners to insist guests do. Sorry.

So..the poo on pavements (and the vomit, and cigarette butts), is rarely picked up, it washes into a sort of soup in the rain, and spreads around. So walking where there isn't visible poos really doesn't mean its clean.
Think of a crawling baby, putting its hands in its mouth, after pressing them into carpet with a small amount of all that stuff spread over it, from everyone's shoes...I'd just rather not have it on my carpet.
I think people should have things however they want in their house, and not have to justify it - and those who aren't happy needn't visit!

Think of a crawling baby, putting its hands in its mouth, after pressing them into carpet with a small amount of all that stuff spread over it, from everyone's shoes

I'm thinking about it.... nope. Seems like utter bollocks to me.

We take our shoes off but we have stone floor which is cold so I never ask people to remove their shoes but I do hope that they copy us and do it! Randomly my inlaws never take theirs off but we are expected to at their house. It's a bit annoying!

My feet don't do slip on shoes, so all my shoes have some kind of fastening which is faffy as there's inevitably nowhere to sit in the shoe removal zone. It's hardly a warm welcome, wobbling around on one leg by the front door.

Birkenstock season is the worst as all that terrifying, germ-ridden dirt from the outside world is all over my dry sandals, and now stuck on my sweaty feet, so probably more likely to befoul a ludicrous cream carpet or handcrafted wooden floor. Plus they get wiffy

Is it rude of me to check your public liability insurance if you're offering me guest slippers, because I doubt very much that they'd be an appropriate size and are most likely to be a trip hazard. More people have ended up in hospital due to slippers than germs on a floor.

In my house, do what makes you comfy. I probably haven't got shoes on, but if I've come in, I don't rush to remove non-muddy footwear. I find people are astute enough to register if they've just walked through the muddy woods. Floors can be cleaned, and we choose flooring that is durable and practical for living with. We're very rarely ill and the DCs survived their long crawling phases with considerably less than average level of illness