Shoes in house?

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Do you have a no shoes policy in your house? And if so why? I hate shoes in my house, it's my number one pet peeve. I find it rude if people come to my house and don't offer to take their shoes off. I just find it unclean to wear outdoor shoes indoors. Wondering is it an upbringing thing (my parents don't allow shoes in the house)? Or class (I'm working class)? Or where you are from (I'm from the North of England)? One of my friends from university that I lived with would wear her shoes indoors and put her feet up on the couch while wearing her shoes (so the base of the shoe was touching the couch where you sit) and also lay in bed reading with her shoes on. Thought that was unhygienic and made me not want to sit on the couch.

Also if you are pro shoes in house would you put your feet up on your couch or bed with your shoes on or be okay if others did?

My rule is no shoes on the soft furnishings, so carpet, sofas, beds etc. But that's not an issue if people are in our hallway, kitchen or dining room cause that's hard floors. And the only reason we have that rule is purely from a hygiene point of view, no other reason. That said we will nip upstairs (stairs and bedrooms are carpeted), with shoes on if we were about to leave the house but forgot something.

I can't remember what our rule was growing up, I'd class myself a working-middle class and originally from northern england. My guess is that because you grew up with this rule it had now formed one of your core beliefs, nothing wrong with that

I would always be happy to ask someone to take off their shoes if they didn't offer, but at the same time I wouldn't be particularly upset if they didn't offer.

I think YABU to let it bother you so much, but YANBU to ask people to take their shoes off when they come into your home.

This has been done to death OP, there was one just last week!

Having said all of that - we also have 2 cats. So tbh it's a moot point in our house as whatever they have on their paws will end up on all the soft furnishings anyway. But keeping outdoor footwear off of them also helps things stay looking cleaner for longer and will hopefully keep them a bit more hygienic.

Sorry didn't see that one/ not searched on mumsnet for this topic. What was the general consensus?

My parents allowed shoes in the house growing up but I don't allow it in mine. It's not necessary for me or dh or our daughter to wear shoes indoors and I find it unhygienic so we take them off the minute we walk in the door. Most people I know are like minded and have the same rules so I don't really need to say it to anyone.

Working class from the North East and my family never allowed shoes, probably because everyone has carpets throughout the entire house? Lived in London for 8 years now with wooden floors and we don’t wear shoes indoors. Don’t mind so much in summer but definitely not when it’s always wet.

The cats resolutely refuse to either wear shoes or wipe their feet so I don't bother now.

:o :o I love these threads.

General consensus is split evenly down the middles. Shoes in houses are like marmite. A lot of people think it's a class divide, there's also a culture divide. Some countries don't go for it, some do, some only do in the North, some only do in the South.

The end line of it is do what you want in your house, but do try to make your guests comfortable/aware and be kind. (also provide a chair in the hall)

We don't wear shoes in the flat. Mainly because it's a converted flat and I'm pretty sure if we wore shoes it would be really loud for downstairs.

victoriashleigh yeah most of my parents house was carpeted or had a rug. I have a big rug in living room and cream carpets upstairs I don't want people walking on with shoes

It's your house, do what you want.
Ask people to take off their shoes , such a non issue.

My house is clean and tidy, no one is trekking human or dog poo around which seems to be a HUGE issue for some posters. No one is licking the floor either, even my children eat their food sitting down at a table.

I HATE when people take off their shoes without being asked, even worst when they are bare feet. I don't like the sight of bare feet on my floors.

No one is going to bed or even lying down on furniture with shoes on anyway, I seem to have guests who are able to SIT down and keep their feet on the floor, strange concept I know

I hate carpets, find them ugly and unhygienic, and they are the first thing to go in any house we ever had. I have beautiful floors (don't care if people dislike them), they can be kept clean, if someone spills something it takes 20 seconds to wipe it clean.

Some people prefer carpets and think themselves as clean, but frantically ask for help to remove smell of puke or baby poop and urine from their carpets, I find that quite puzzling.

I wouldn't wear shoes and walk on the worktops or have a shower, but no one I know would do that anyway.

I do find it rude to ask people to take their shoes off, and weird that it's such an inconvenient house to live in - workmen, delivery men, plenty of people who won't take their shoes off anyway.

Generally shoes off inside is more of a working class thing. I personally hate having to take shoes off inside but of course do if it’s not my house.

I don’t understand how people can find it comfortable or pleasant to wear shoes indoors, let alone anything else

I don't understand why people buy - and wear - shoes that are uncomfortable in the first place 🤷

I don't understand that desperate need to get rid of shoes - and clothes - the minute you walk through the front door. Odd.

It’s not at all odd to want to take your shoes off when you get home. Imagine being a nurse or someone whose been on their feet all day - you’d be desperate to have your shoes off and feet up!

I don’t know many people who have an entire outfit change when they get in, however!

With you there Amla :)

That said, there are folk with foot issues who are more comfortable with the continued support of shoes. Then again, the people I know with planar and stuff like that tend to own indoor shoes that they then change into at the door.

I get cold without shoes, another reason why I hate having to take off my shoes when I am in someone else's house.

I wear shoes, so do my kids, we are barefeet in our own house when it's hot, but the mandatory shoes off is weird.

If my shoes were too uncomfortable I would chuck them and buy another pair. If it's good enough for the office, it's good enough for my living room.

The first thread I ever read on mumsnet years ago was about this issue, it’s an absolute MN classic .

We have hard floors downstairs so I really don’t mind if guests keep shoes on but would ask them to remove if they went upstairs which is largely carpeted. My DC remove their shoes as soon as they get home as do I so it’s habitual for us.

Also I had plantar fasciitis during my last pregnancy and for a while postpartum too, it was absolute agony and I couldn’t walk around bare foot at all. I wore my Birkenstock’s in the house at all times.

Op I'm with you. It makes me cringe. Why spend all that money on furnishings and flooring to them drag outside world dirty debris all over them

I don’t understand how people can find it comfortable or pleasant to wear shoes indoors, let alone anything else

Do you walk round the house naked then ?

Done every week but i dont know a single house that allows shoes in the house until some on mn say they do. Shoes off as more relaxing and keeps outside mud etc outside

I get cold without shoes, another reason why I hate having to take off my shoes when I am in someone else's house.

I take slippers with me 🤷🏻‍♀️😂.

We have laminate floors, downstairs fine but not upstairs on carpets.

Do you honestly carry a pair of slippers with you at all time?
For me slippers are designed to wear with pjs, when you are really sick. They are not day wear - or day shoes.

Done every week but i dont know a single house that allows shoes in the house until some on mn say they do.
most people around here have a shoes on house, I haven't been to many diner parties where guests were wearing slippers!

I can't think of any property I visited and had to take my shoes off either.