To ask all guests to take shoes off in my house?

[chardonm]

Just that really. A few people seem really put off by that.

My dear sil has to be reminded several times before she takes them off.

I hate the thought of trailing the dirt inside the house.

The reason in Nordic countries people take their shoes off is due to the snow and ice they would bring in half of the year if they didn't. In my area there is an issue with dog poo so I like visitors taking off their shoes, and walking around in slippers/socks isn't undignified.

I'll take shoes off at someone's house if asked to. I don't like it though. PIL (before NC) used to insist on shoes off at the door before you stepped onto the glossy oak flooring, but then tried to insist I bring slippers or wear socks so I didn't. Nope. I wear shoes or have bare feet, they can pick at that point. Now redundant because there were too many rules including I had to do everything they thought I should from their limited and misogynistic POV.

My house has stone or painted floors (and underfloor heating in part of it), except in 3 bedrooms. People can breeze in with shoes on, workmen do not have to remove them. I do not fret about dropped crumbs, footprints, spilled drinks etc. It's bliss. Quick steam mop when needed and it's sorted. Some people do like taking their shoes off for the underfloor heating bit. I have cushions and throws for anyone wanting to floor sit on it, and there are a few friends who do.

Shoes off are common in Hawaii and Alaska also. It is considered courteous to have a chair or bench by the door and a basket of socks they can put on to keep their feetsies warm and clean.
It s a custom I brought home with me and oddly enough even when I tell people they do not need to take off their shoes they insist on doing so.

*I'm not implying that household who have shoes off rule are misogynistic/ controlling and weird... anyone can be those things. Just an observation that I could never do anything right by them, even if I took my shoes off.

I got in trouble with them for not having that rule at mine, and for not following their advice that I should have a huge sunken doormat right inside the door for guests to stand on to take shoes off. It's the only way, you know.

The dog brings more dirt in than visitors and he can't take his shoes off so I don't bother either

I take my shoes off when asked but avoid going back. You can set whatever rules you want in your own home but other people can equally choose not to come in to your house.

I’ll remove my shoes if asked, but in all honesty I find it a bit pretentious. Although maybe that’s why my carpets are knackered!

It's really the opposite of pretentious.

The relief when you go to someone's house and get told you can keep your shoes on! No hoping around on one foot, falling over, trying not to show how unfit I am when it's time to put the back on and I'm all red faced and breathless. Why are people so worried about their floors but not care about hands on the walls as you try to balance?

It's really the opposite of pretentious.

In what way? That seems a rather arbitrary statement.

YANBU. I live in Asia and shoes off is the norm. Keeping shoes on in the house would be considered very weird and extremely rude - I wish it was like that in the UK!

Before I moved to China, I lived in Germany and Austria and shoes off was the norm there too. Usual to have a basket of socks, slippers and chair by the front door. My kids have grown up with 'shoes off inside' and they would find it rude and weird to keep them on.

In Austria kids would take shoes off at school in the cloakroom and put on his slippers to wear inside school.

Shoes in the house is grim and unhygienic.
I have nice clean feet or nice clean socks. I don't actually know anyone who would let someone into their house with shoes. Could it be regional? I have friends (in the SW) from all walks of life and many nationalities, and not one has a "shoes on" home.
Not removing shoes indoors is a particularly British thing that we learnt about in school in Scandinavia, as a quaint local custom, and thought very weird and exotic.

I have people who insist on that so I'd say yabu

In what way? That seems a rather arbitrary statement.

Because you're prioritising floors (seriously - floors) over people.

Can you imagine going anywhere worth going, and being asked to remove your shoes?

I hate wearing shoes inside it just feels wrong! I always remove at any given opportunity even when people say i don't have to. I don't mind people wearing shoes in mine but I do look at their feet and wonder how they're comfortable it just feels not so to me. However, 2 people have worn shoes up my stairs and dragged mud up which was a bit annoying but I still don't ask as I would feel awkward I just wonder why they don't copy me and take em off!

Different people have different views. I'm not bothered either way and so am usually guided by my host. If they don't wear shoes in their home, I take mine off. If they have shoes on, I leave mine on.

Having said that - if your shoes are wet and muddy, take them off!

If in doubt, ask.

Simple.

Totally agree about shoes off and I used to do that, even had a little sign in the front entrance. We used to have a gravel drive - wrecked havoc on our wood floors when it was caught in the treads of shoes, another are ladies wearing high heels who don’t maintain the rubber bit at the end of the heel so they’re walking with the metal digging into the wood floor. Light coloured carpets would show up dirt, grass clippings etc.

However, I provided slippers. Disposable slippers (think day spa, hotel)

That was until I got a dog. Then I invested in quite a number of turtle mats. However, most people take their shoes off and I note of my children’s friends, all take their shoes off both in their own home and friend’s homes. They grew up doing this in the homes in our area.

So here in Surrey, it’s quite the norm. (BTW - got rid of gravel drive, would never have one again).

Why is it OK to insist your guests put on slippers that someone else has already stuck their manky feet in?

It's not.

And the shoes-off lot always seem to think it's some sort of nice, appealing offering.

Me and my family/friends must all be common then, it's the norm for us to remove shoes as we enter our own or each other's houses.

I don't understand why anyone would want to walk outside, picking up who knows what on their shoes, then have that transferred inside, into their homes. My dd often sits on the floor to play, so I hate the thought of shoes walking anything in. We do have carpets rather than hard floors though if that makes any difference.

And I just keep a clean pair of socks in my handbag so I can pop them if visiting anyone.

Its perfectly normal to take your shoes off when you get home.

It's insisting that your guests also remove theirs, that's rude and unwelcoming.