Removing shoes indoors

[diagold4u]

Am interested to know how many people actually have the rule of no shoes indoors.
We've had this rule from when I was young and have carried it on when I moved out. I think it makes sense not to walk all over the house with shoes that have been worn outdoors, who knows what you've stood on and then bringing all that in to your home.
I have shoe covers that I provide to workers.
Especially with young children I think it's even more important not to wear outdoor shoes indoor, carpets/rug will harbour all that dirt no matter how much you Hoover up.

My actual aibu is, if someone came to my house as a guest would it be U for me to ask them to remove their shoes? Obviously in a polite manner.
I feel quite embarrassed having to ask when these people already know.
My current house is all flooring with large rugs everywhere, the main living room is carpet.
I've noticed certain extended family members get annoyed at my request but the way I see it, it's my house, if I don't walk with shoes, why should you when you've chosen to come to my house.

@23PissOffAvenueWF

Oh God. ‘Guest slippers’

These always get brought up on the shoes on/off threads. 🤢

I had no idea so many people were actually nauseous with disgust at the idea of wearing fabric shoes that were worn by someone else prior to a wash. (Well ok, I did, it's a MN shoes in the house debate, but it's been a while.) Presumably you wouldn't sleep in the guest sheets or use the toilet seat either?

I'm starting to wonder where I stand in the great MN cleanliness chain of being. On the one hand, I do offer slippers to guests, so I am, variously "horrific", "inhospitable" and "disgusting". (To be fair, this is all true, but I didn't think it was because of the slippers. I have other means.) But I do wash my hands after using the toilet, even if it's "just a wee at home", so I'm also an uptight germphobe according to that rather illuminating thread from the other week.

If anyone can tell me exactly where I stand, I'd be interested. But unless you're related to a duchess or something, we all know it doesn't count.

I think everyone should do it as it's manners my friend came into my sisters house n wore her shoes in the living room my sister was crying because she is ocd. When I told my friend the next day she was really anoyed about that n said she should tell people when they come in

For me it's not about getting carpets dirty or overtly muddy shoes... it has been clearly demonstrated in many studies that faecal material or bacteria is present on most shoes, and this will transfer onto floors. Wiping shoes on a mat won't help! Having lived in London til recently, I think about the floor of the tube. I cant imagine walking on there and then in my house. I wouldn't let me two young children crawl around on the tube floor (imagine it is an empty tube) so why would I bring that into their living room or playroom?

I'm not a bacteria -phobe but I like the idea that my floors are free from dog poo bacteria. I never have to gove it a second thought.

Marrying into a culture where shoes are very much removed for hygiene reasons, I have been converted to the point of being horrified by seeing property programmes where the host and buyers are stamping though the bedrooms in boots. My mindset has been changed and cannot go back. It's like I have seen the light!

For what it's worth,my floors are always super clean if you run a wet cloth over say, a spill. At my parents house, where they wear shoes and own a dog, if you do the same the cloth is brown and grimy... and they are tidy people.

Having just redone every single floor in our new house, I am happy in the knowledge that no shoe has walked on them. I can put it out of my mind. Guests will be asked to remove shoes, new slippers will be provided. They will just have to get on with it, they are friends who understand, or strangers whose opinions on the matter mean very little to me

I mostly wear (my own!) slippers in my own house but we do wear shoes indoors sometimes.
I've never been offered guest slippers but I always offer to take my shoes off at someone rises house because it seems more common for people to request or expect that.
Even if I say I dont mind (if they keep shoes on) , most people remove their shoes when they come to our house.
How does the guest slipper thing work? Are you required to keep multiple sizes, how many pairs? Where are they stored?

I'm curious as to whether shoes off people have pets. Do they have to wear slippers?

One reason I don't allow dogs in my house is their dirty paws and they don't wipe their arses. What's the difference?

Oh God. ‘Guest slippers’

hey, you can't buy class 😂 😂

I'd never ever dream of going into someone else's house with my shoes on. I'm quite horrified when guests don't remove their shoes at mine but I wouldn't say anything because I'm an unassertive wimp!

Shoes off here and we ask people to take them off unless they’re walking straight through to the garden.
I wear shoes as little as possible and when I do they are ‘barefoot’ style ones. I don’t understand why anyone would choose to wear shoes in their own home, you can’t relax!

It's the height of rudeness to ask people to remove their shoes. I wouldn't feel comfortable visiting such a house.

As these threads always demonstrate, people shouldn’t assume their norms are shared by others. Where I am, asking guests to remove shoes is pretty rude, putting flooring above guests comfort. Elsewhere it’s the opposite.

I hate when people take off their shoes on my house. I hate feet, I don’t want to see them. We have hardwood floors downstairs so no cream carpets to get previous about.

@Exhausteddog

I mostly wear (my own!) slippers in my own house but we do wear shoes indoors sometimes. I've never been offered guest slippers but I always offer to take my shoes off at someone rises house because it seems more common for people to request or expect that. Even if I say I dont mind (if they keep shoes on) , most people remove their shoes when they come to our house. How does the guest slipper thing work? Are you required to keep multiple sizes, how many pairs? Where are they stored?

I bought them in bulk on eBay a few years ago. They come in a range of sizes; haven't yet had a guest who chose to wear them who couldn't find a pair to fit. They are in a folding box in the front hall. They're just an offer in case people get cold feet; I don't mind if people go in socks or barefoot. I have six pairs, which have been enough so far (we moved not long ago and haven't had guests for a while). After they're worn, they go in the wash, although they haven't yet been worn on bare feet; if it's hot enough not to be wearing socks, it's hot enough that people don't need slippers, I guess.

I appreciate this isn't everyone's preferred way of doing things (they're just an offer in case you're cold!) but the loony cries that the concept is "horrific" and "disgusting" and "weird" and "awkward" and "inhospitable", and that I'm making people walk around with petri dishes on their feet, and vomiting green faces is....actually, exactly what one should expect from a MN shoes in the house debate. Sorry, everyone. As you were.

Funnily enough, I wouldn't actually ask for shoes off if I was having a larger "party" with people who don't all know each other, and not just a friend or friend's family round. I think that might alter the mood a bit and I'd be giving the carpet a good going over after something like that anyway. But if I were at a house party where the rule was shoes off, I'd remove them and I really don't think I'd give it a second thought. If it made that much impression on my mind, the bigger problem is that the party must have been rubbish.

Seriously. It’s just floor.

People really need to get a grip.

Just whip the mop out, if you’re going to break out in paroxysms of OCD.

I say this as a ‘shoes off’ house.

Can’t believe so many people are grossed out by feet. Totally bizarre.

@PattyPan

Can’t believe so many people are grossed out by feet. Totally bizarre.

I'm not a massive fan of them myself, to be honest, but they're just a body part and they're not obscene or anything. I suppose I'd choose for people to keep socks or slippers on if it was up to me because I don't find them especially pretty, but I am not "repulsed" or "disgusted" by them to the point that I need pictures of nauseous green faces or equivalent to express my disgust. Honestly, if someone has that strong a reaction, you've got bigger problems than shoes in houses.

I don’t understand why anyone would choose to wear shoes in their own home, you can’t relax!

I have absolutely no trouble relaxing with my shoes on.

@VinylDetective do you put your feet up with shoes on? Or curl up on the sofa?

@VinylDetective

I don’t understand why anyone would choose to wear shoes in their own home, you can’t relax!

I have absolutely no trouble relaxing with my shoes on.

I’m shoes off at home, but clearly some people can happily relax at home with their shoes on. Shock, horror.

I’m agreeing with you Vinyl, by the way!

[quote PattyPan]@VinylDetective do you put your feet up with shoes on? Or curl up on the sofa?[/quote]
No and no.

Wait, people have "guest slippers"?

WTAF?

@UrAWizHarry

Wait, people have "guest slippers"?

WTAF?

What are you struggling with?

When I grew up I can't think of anyone who had cream carpets. Carpets were usually patterned. Making a choice to buy cream is putting colour over durability, surely!?
I notice the ads I have on their thread are for hard wood floors!

I wouldn't ask people to remove their shoes, but do expect our household to. Otherwise it's just constant hoovering and mess.

I grew up in a shoes on house as is usual in the UK, but then lived in several countries where they are shoes-off, and thought how sensible and marvellous. So now we are a shoes off house back in the UK, and I feel odd wearing them in anyone else's house (although I always offer to remove them). It's vile in my opinion, god know what you're walking through outside even if you can't see it. Also living in the countryside we are surrounded by mud most of the time.

I take mine off in the hall, but wouldn't dream of asking guests or workers to do it.
Carpets can be cleaned.