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?

Of all the things I could think of taking with me when I visit a friend (for the day), socks and/or slippers is 100% not one of them. I don't care whether people wear shoes inside my house or not, but if any visitors whipped out a pair of socks or slippers to put on I'd think they'd lost their mind.

For all the people saying it's polite to take your shoes off before entering someone's home, there are equally people who would think it rude and presumptive to be so casual as to wander around someone else's home in bare feet.

We are a shoes on downstairs off upstairs household.Doormats front and back,muddy shoes off but otherwise on.Cat,had a dog too when dd was small playing on the floor.Her immune system is in good fettle.We only take shoes off upstairs as I have a new stair carpet so this will probably relax over time.

I can't bear shoes on in the house, except if people are in their best and have come for an evening party of some description...I am guessing they have got very clean shoes on that have scarey been outside in that instance. Everyday shoes get all sorts of mud etc on them.

I will always offer to take shoes off but I think people who require it are about precious. In fact, once we decided not to put an offer in on a house because the estate agent made us take our shoes off saying the vendors "insisted" on it. It turned us right off.

*a bit

Breconbebuggered "I prefer houses where shoes off isn't the norm, because once the shoes come off my feet want to go on the furniture. I am a terrible human being."

Exactly!!! However, as much as I don't understand why people want to insist on shoes off, I also can't understand at all why people care about me putting my feet up...

I prefer houses where shoes off isn't the norm, because once the shoes come off my feet want to go on the furniture

You can put your feet on my furniture so long as your shoes are off, I don't mind

OP Have whatever rule you want in your house, and when visiting others you follow the rules in their house. If you are unsure of their rules then ask. Simple.

Personally its shoes-off in my house. I live in Finland, everyone (possible exceptions being the Presidential Palace - I think you get to keep your shoes on in there...) is shoes-off in their home. I never have to ask people to take their shoes off, its automatic. We don't have carpets here (they're very rare), my house has wooden and laminate floors mostly with rugs - easy to clean but I don't want to have to clean it too often, much easier to just take shoes off.

Daycares and child health clinics are shoes-off places too, as are primary schools. I take my shoes off when I go into nursery to drop off/pick up DD, as do all the other parents. Somehow we all manage just fine, foot differences notwithstanding.

As for parties, I don't have the fancy kind of parties where people dress up with shoes to match their outfits so that's not an issue. I except most people do make exceptions for fancy parties like that though but those aren't shoes that people are wearing normally when out and about so its not the same. For most of the year over here your shoes are tracking through snow, mud, or gravel that sticks into the treads of your shoes, so its not so nice to walk that inside.

I think it's really inhospitable to expect guests to remove shoes if you have hard flooring which can easily be cleaned (unless they are stabby stilettos which would drill through vinyl flooring or something).

I hate standing on hard flooring of any kind without shoes - it hurts my feet and if it's cold it's even worse.

Also hate the feeling of 'bits' on the soles of my feet (and no, I don't always wear socks with sandals/flip flops in the height of summer). Especially when those 'bits' could be any kind of your household debris from pubes to children's nose pickings.

Do the 'shoes off' brigade have overshoes for workmen? (I wouldn't fancy dropping a hammer on a bare foot or treading on a nail.)

Also what if you're having a barbie and/or the kids are in and out of the garden? Are you then forever taking shoes off/putting them on?

I usually take my shoes off but it's not a rule and I wouldn't ask others too. I'd only do it in others if specifically asked to, which is rare. Obviously my friends and family are all uncouth. In fact if someone took their shoes off at mine I'd think they were making themselves too comfy and that they lacked boundaries.....

We are a happy for visitors to keep their shoes on household. I always think its a bit weird when grown men, or whoever really come to my house and take their shoes off then second they arrive. I also feel uncomfortable taking my shoes off in other peoples houses, but of course I do it and we know which friends prefer which way, but I really don't like it!!

Also what if you're having a barbie and/or the kids are in and out of the garden? Are you then forever taking shoes off/putting them on?

Last time I went to a barbie/inside party everyone did take their shoes off and on again to go in and out, didn't seem to be much hassle. With kids in the summer slip on shoes like crocs are very popular here but they never seem to have much trouble kicking off trainers and sticking them on again either. We all just manage.

In my own experiences its been about 50/50 with whether workmen have taken their shoes off in my house but generally if I'm having workmen in there's going to be a mess on the floor afterwards that needs cleaning anyway so not fussed if they keep their shoes on!

Also police keep their shoes on because they have to, not going to argue with that.

Aaaand another thing... :D

The idea that the soles of people's shoeless feet are 'clean' is nonsense - you can't hoover up the smell of greasy sweaty feet. In fact human sweat will probably rot woollen carpets a lot quicker than outdoor mud and grime would.

Do the shoes-off germphobes send their children to nursery?

This carpet cleaning company recommends wearing shoes rather than bare feet on carpet (though socks / slippers are better).

"Body moisture on your carpet, even in tiny amounts, is not good. It will attract dust, dirt and dander. So when you go barefoot in your home, you’re leaving sweat on the surface of the carpet then soil is attracted to it. You certainly won’t notice a difference immediately, however, over time the soils will build up."

carterscarpet.com/better-wear-shoes-go-barefoot-carpet/

Im a childminder, so yes i do expect people to take their shoes off before they go on the carpets. Woukd you be happy about your children crawling around on dirty carpets? There is only one person who minds taking her shoes off and strangely that is one of the parents. I now open the door and position myself so when she comes in, she can't get onto the carpet becasue I am so fed up of her bringing mud/dirty marks in on her feet. None of my friends, family or other parents have an issue with this. The only real exception is my disabled father who would struggle massively with this, but seeing as though the furthest he walks is from the car to the front door,no can't imagine his shoes have the opportunity to get that mucky an way (he has a wheel chair for further distances).

Clearly there is a big divide on this. We wear shoes at home but obviously take them off if going into someone's house where that is clearly the rule. Sometimes find that weird like the other day I had no socks and felt a bit worried in case my feet were smelly. Or if I had a hole in my sock!

A party where people were dressed up but had no shoes on would be very odd.

That's interesting CWBB but I still think outdoor shoes are going to stain my carpet more than socks that haven't been wore outside! Maybe I'm wrong I've I've never had a stain on my carpet from a pair of socks!

I find not wearing shoes uncomfortable and hate being asked to take them off, but I ne we let them know. I follow the house rules.

Buster the article says socks/slippers are better than either bare feet or shoes.

But also says clean-ish shoes are better than bare feet, as less likely to leave greasy smelly deposits which attract further dirt and germs.

I don't wear socks much in the summer, so when I have to take shoes off in someone's house I'm often left standing there in my bare feet amongst on their floor 'bits' (yuk).

My mistake CWBB! I almost always wear some type of foot coverage. 99% of the time it's socks. I can't stand bare feet in shoes or on floors. I have a child and heaven knows how so many Cheerios end up on the floor! Slippers are my favorite footwear of all time!

Some places offer shoe covers.
Perhaps some childminders could give those to parents or visitors who don't like to remove their shoes. Sometimes it's faster.

I dislike wearing shoes and would be delighted to be asked to take them off on going into other people's houses, but I have to say I've never known it to happen. I also like to take them off at when I'm at work as much as possible, at least when I'm not seeing people from outside, and have therefore been sensitive to threads on here where there seems to be a general view that that's terrible. So I really don't understand why shoes off is desirable at home but disgusting at work?

Blimey, its like groundhog day round here sometimes...