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 am going to blow people’s minds here...

I don’t actually like wearing shoes. I go outside barefoot quite often in winter, and if warm all the time. I don’t put shoes on to go in the garden, or walk to the post box, for example.

Then i come back in the house....

Does it really matter?

I don’t like wearing shoes much either! Even comfortable ones. Let those toes breath

I sometimes have to visit people in their homes as part of my job. I weigh the situation accordingly but tend to keep my shoes on as taking them off feels a little unprofessional.

@Micah - I hope you carry special sanitised socks/slippers/indoor shoes (or all three) for when you visit other people.

Off always

@IsThisNameFree.
Mine are tiny, that fold up into a sandwich bag. They go into my small handbag which only contains my keys and bank card 😀

@Mydollymolly - They go into my small handbag which only contains my keys and bank card

I'm always impressed by people managing to have minimalist handbags.

Off if carpet, on if not.

Well, it’s cultural in many countries to remove shoes not just in the ME.

Indeed, hence the ‘such as’. It’s also cultural not to in many countries.

BeardedMum This!
My parents are from a not too obscure European country and it’s the done thing to take your shoes off on entering someone’s home - if it’s a planned visit, a lot of people actually carry a pair of slippers along with them for this exact purpose.
DH is southeast Asian, and shoes are very much an outdoor thing - and even then in rural parts it’s only if the weather is bad or the feet need protecting from hazards. I’ve never seen a single person even take shoes inside a house in his country, let alone wear them inside.

@IsThisNameFree.
You can too. Tip your bag out and with each item ask, is this necessary?
The answer will be no 😀

@Mydollymolly - You can too. Tip your bag out and with each item ask, is this necessary? The answer will be no 😀

But, but, but I'm sure some day, I will need it.

I actually recently needed the roll of insulating tape I had removed from my bag not long beforehand. (Don't ask😁)

It’s not cultural in the Uk to either remove or not.

It’s no more culturally rude to ask guests to remove shoes than it is to leave shoes on. It’s personal preference.

It is usually fairly easy to guess- pile of shoes by the door, host in barefeet/socks- remove your shoes. Particularly if there are cream carpets :). If the host is wearing shoes, and floors are laminate/tile, leave yours on.

If you want to do the opposite, ask.

If your feet are really so stinky and infected you feel unable to take your shoes off, you need to see a doctor.

Simple :)

Shoes on house but I take my shoes off because I like having bare feet. I’d never dream of asking people to take their shoes off but I have wooden floors with rugs.

The only time Ive been asked to remove my shoes was when I visited someone at her house for the first time in Sheffield... While she and her husband stood there in shoes... it was a very frosty welcome as she just stood there and stared at my shoes and said “would you take your shoes off please.” She had dark grey carpets. Actually, everything was grey come to think of it!

It’s no more culturally rude to ask guests to remove shoes than it is to leave shoes on. It’s personal preference

In fact, people with good manners in any culture where it is the norm, (ie not the U.K.) would never ask their guests to remove their shoes.

Arabs, Japanese, for example, know that in many Western countries it’s not the done thing.

You're hilarious Tatiana

Off, I even have a sign on my door telling people to take them off as my baby crawls on the floor, something along the lines of "please remove your shoes little hands touch the floor" still have to remind some people though

Always shoes off

Shoes on in a house is gross in my opinion

What’s hilarious is the number of people who have no manners.

Whatever your inclination - shoes on/off you just don’t ask guests to do something that might make them feel uncomfortable.

Whatever your inclination - shoes on/off you just don’t ask guests to do something that might make them feel uncomfortable.

It’s just rather odd that someone isn’t comfortable taking off a shoe.. really!.

Some people are too embarrassed by their feet and socks that i think they have bigger issues that shoes off and on.

In all honesty if taking a shoe off made someone uncomfortable there’s will be far more people sleeping with their shoes on. Why don’t they?

@SchoolOfLife2 - It’s just rather odd that someone isn’t comfortable taking off a shoe.. really!.

Using that logic we should all just strip off and wander around naked the whole time. But you know what, I no more want your bare arse on my chairs than I want your bare feet on my floor.

It’s just rather odd that someone isn’t comfortable taking off a shoe.. really!

Not really. It’s not the norm for much of U.K. society, particularly older generations.

For many women their shoes are part of their outfit, it’s rude to ask them to dismantle it. Or older people for whom it’s not the norm and may have bunions, arthritis or orthotics in their shoes, or simply have bad circulation.