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?

I always take them off and like other people to do so in my home (though I will tell them they don’t need to for politeness sake). DH is from a shoes on family and it took 10 years to train him out of it.

ILoveMaxiBondi it is the norm among my circles and in OH's family. I think you will find there is a pretty even split.

Off, otherwise you’re not coming in.

Always ask "would you like me to take my shoes off?" and let them lead you from there.

I am a shoes-on household, but if I was visiting someone I'd ask them their preference and abide by that.

I'm in the UK and it's definitely normal to take your shoes off. I've got cream or pale grey carpet, you're not walking in my house with your shoes on. I don't have to ask, people just look at the carpet and take them off. If someone doesn't take their shoes off they stay in the kitchen, they certainly won't be invited into the lounge.

All my floors are clean because everyone takes their shoes off.

Always off! We don’t wear shoes indoors as shoes carry pollution in from the street, dog poo, etc etc. We have a crawling baby and toddler. We often sit/ lie /play on the floor. Besides we have lovely new solid wood floors and new carpets and I want them to last as long as possible!
I always take my shoes off in other people’s houses without asking. Asking may mean some people say “don’t worry about it” because they are too polite to be honest.

I can’t remember the last time I visited someone with a shoes off rule in the U.K.

Off off off!!!

I always ask. Different households do different things.

We have wood floors on the ground floor and carpet on the others. Shoes on if they are staying on the ground floor. Shoes off if is raining outside or they will be going on carpet. It only annoying if I say keep your shoes on and they take them off anyway. What’s the point of asking the host then?

Oh and I have a dog who goes outside bare-paw so I have no chance of keeping my floors too clean, that's for sure.

Why do people wear shoes indoors anyway? What’s the reason? It’s nice to be barefoot at home as we spend so much time in shoes. Also it’s good for your feet.

Ask your host! As you come in the door, "shoes off?" Usually you can tell if there is a shoe rack or pile of shoes beside the door.

I always ask. Sometimes I take them off anyway.
The only shoes off country I have visited is Kosovo, where there would usually be a rack of soft slippers in a rack by the door for guests. Perhaps we should do that here and then people wouldn't have to ask.

"Up north" here and it's shoes off

OMG shoes off all day all the time.

If you have planar or smelly feet or don't want to not wear shoes for some reason, you should bring along some 'indoor shoes' with you to change into. This is what people in scandinavia do.

But really, nobody cares about your socks matching, and your feet probably wouldn't smell if you weren't wearing shoes all the time. (and if they have a medical reason for smelling then take your indoor shoes along).

I ask the hosts.

We ask people to keep their shoes on.

it is the norm among my circles and in OH's family. I think you will find there is a pretty even split.

Disagree. It’s not the norm in the U.K.

And FWIW I’m a shoes off household but I’m the only one I know!

Off or expect the shinai.

I always take my shoes off in my own home, I love to be barefoot or in my fluffy socks. My chiropractor actually told me I need to wear shoes more often . As a host, either is fine although I prefer shoes off to save on cleaning, esp as I like light coloured carpets. I always ask what the host prefers as a visitor though; it's their house and their floor to clean, although I like my shoes off.

I'd only find it awkward if you have manky feet or manky shoes and don't have shoes or some sort of cover off/on as appropriate. If you have manky feet AND manky shoes, I'll pass your cuppa through the window! 😷

I would prefer that people kept their shoes on in my house.

I think it's rude to ask guests to remove their shoes, you've basically just told them that your floor coverings are more important than their comfort.

Exceptions being, of course, muddy shoes or stilettos on hard wood.

I would ask (& if they said ‘shoes off please’ probably never visit again ).... I don’t expect visitors to take their shoes off, but we have wooden and tiled floors downstairs. I do expect my teenager & his friends to take their shoes off if they are going upstairs to his room.

If I was visiting a shoes-off household, I'd need to remember not to wear heels, as I pick longer-length jeans when I wear heels. If I take the heels off, I'd be dragging/tripping over my hems!

I take them off unless they say otherwise.