Please settle an argument .......... in other peoples' houses ............shoes on or shoes off?

[helpamamaout]

On entering someone else's home, should the visitor keep their shoes on or remove them?

Always on unless asked to remove them .

I would be happy to remove my shoes if asked, but I've never been in a house where people don't wear shoes, so it wouldn't occur to me to do it automatically.

I was brought up believing it was incredibly rude and over familiar to remove your shoes in someone's house. As a child I wasn't even allowed to wander around my own house in my socks or bare feet, never mind do it at someone else's. It's a hard habit to break actually. I feel really weird not wearing shoes. And I have never in my life seen the socks or feet of someone from my parents generation. My elderly mum had a visit today from the minister of her church and if he'd taken his shoes off, I wouldn't have known where to look. To someone of my background it would be like stripping to your underwear.

I once went to a house where people had toilet slippers!

It's not the minuscule germs that bother me about shoes in the house (although the toilet lid is always put down in my house, I trained my OH to do that very quickly) but the fact that, depending on the time of the year, shoes will be tracking in snow, mud, or gravel and I really cannot be doing with cleaning that up all the time, it gets everywhere and the baby immediately eats any gravel that makes it way inside the house (like when OH forgets his keys and comes back in with his boots on to get them)

Off! even if people tell me not to bother I will still take them off. I usually sit with my legs curled up on the sofa so don't want my shoes touching it. Can't get comfortable with shoes on.

Why do you keep toilet seat down?

Off always, it's how,I was brought up. I'm from a community that conducts their religious services on the floor. So we always take off our shoes as an ingrained habit.

The lid of the loo is always down. That way the spray from the flush is contained. Common sense, no?

I keep the lid down to stop the cat getting any ideas

My 7 year old takes his shoes off as soon as he goes into anyone's house and I spend my life apologising for his terrible rudeness.

If I could send him to some of your houses you'd be delighted and think him very well mannered.

Shoes on. This is farming community! We would take off filthy boots- or certainly begin to, but most people would say it’s fine if only in the kitchen. Most people don’t go further than the kitchen anyway unless actually staying. We all have hard floors and animals.,

This concept of loo seat down, micro particles, toilet slippers (except cultural or Japanese) is so bizarre.

Shoes off in bedrooms.

Where does 'the spray' go? Our toilet is not near our sink so not really sure what's getting contaminated?!

Always remove shoes&i expect anyone in my home to do the same..its just polite/good manners.

I always take them I don't want people walking their dirty shoes all over my rug and carpet, so I won't inflict it on anyone else.

Always remove shoes&i expect anyone in my home to do the same..its just polite/good manners.

Well, no. Where I live it's considered pretty rude.

Always say I will take shoes off. It drives me mad when people keep theirs on and walk all over my big rug that the baby lies on. My toddler eats off the floor a lot too. It's basic manners to take them off. Most people I know (including the plumber!) take their shoes off. I'm too polite to ask people to take their shoes off but the odd person will just stroll in.

My toddlers all picked stuff off the floor too. We're a shoes on house and they've all got great immune systems.

Shoes off unless you know that particular household keeps shoes on. It really annoys me when my husband tells people they can keep their shoes on when everyone else removes them at the door (and it’s what he is forever telling the kids )

Really interesting how some people believe feet are MORE dirty than shoes that have been up and down outside.

It's basic manners to take them off

No it’s not. It’s basic manners to abide by the wishes of the home owner.

I really don’t want to see your feet in my house.

This is quite fascinating! I'm quite shocked that anyone considers it rude to take shoes off! I hate having to ask people to remove their shoes and always feel relief when they ask if they should or just do it!!! My DC always remove their shoes before going in anyone's house before being asked as that's how we brought them up. We thought we were teaching them manners!! It's horrible to think they be considered rude for it!

Aargh my DH does this too @MissyPG whyohwhy???!

@Isabellerossignol your son would be a delight in my country with his shoe-removing habit!

I'm quite shocked that anyone considers it rude to take shoes off!

Likewise until I became a Mumsnet user, I had no idea that people considered it rude to keep your shoes on.

Amusingly enough, over here people even take their shoes off when they get to the office. Admittedly they then put on flip-flops, slippers or indoor shoes so we're not running around in socks (although sometimes I do because I like it..) but there it is! Cultural differences are funny.

IMO it's basic manners to ask.