To walk barefoot in someone else’s home?

[Sheerdetermination]

My parents think my DP is wrong (ie. rude) to pad around their house barefoot when we are visiting. He does this when he’s wearing sandals outside. As they don’t like this, he now puts socks on when he takes his shoes off at the door.
But what if he/I were dropping in on a friend for a cuppa while wearing sandals? Should we have a spare pair of socks/slippers with us? I don’t think so! AIBU to think it’s ok to be barefoot on someone else’s carpets?

I do find it weird that people are squeamish about bare feet but ate happy to have shoes traipsing around that have potentially walked through human and dog piss, pigeon shit, vomit, phlegm, blood and god knows what else

Indeed. "Ooh, bare feet are so vile, but please do trudge muck and shit and all kinds of crap into my carpets and all over my floors. It's so rude of you not to filth up my floors!"

Nuts.

@Carrotinthesky

yes I always go out in socks or trainer socks. I find it uncomfortable walking in shoes with bare feet. Open toed shoes not my style Exactly this. Wearing shoes without socks means the shoe absorbs sweat and not the sock. I also find shoes uncomfortable without a trainer sock. You can get ones that stay on, and really don't show, in m&s. I've got dozens!

Thanks I'm going to check out M&S as could use a pair that stay on!

Thanks I'm going to check out M&S as could use a pair that stay on!

You'll know which ones they are. The most expensive ones obviously.

@EnjoyingTheSunshine

This thread is so weird. Only this weekend I've been barefoot in a friend's house. There was another friend visiting and she also was barefoot.

I can't comprehend how anyone could be offended by this

Yeah I think it's weird too.

Some of my friends bring socks if they come to mine and are wearing flip flops but that's their own preference. As long as their feet aren't dirty I couldn't care less if they are walking on my carpet.

I find it incredibly bizarre people would rather have the potential for dog poo on their carpet than recently showered feet or laundered socks. I had never even considered this to be a thing before.

What I always find astonishing on these threads is the amount of posters who consistently have to walk in poop every time they step foot outside

@kindaclassy

What I always find astonishing on these threads is the amount of posters who consistently have to walk in poop every time they step foot outside

I know. Especially as most of them only walk to the car and then walk away from it. You’d think everywhere was wall to wall dogshit. I read this morning that we carry far more bacteria on our hands than our shoes and door handles and light switches are way dirtier than floors.

@Hathertonhariden

It's interesting how people who are phobic about bacteria on shoes have no appreciation for people who are phobic about bacteria on feet.

What do shoe phobic people do if a barefoot person/child wants to come into the house from the garden or wherever?

Good point, I never thought of that. We don't go barefoot in our garden, we wear o/s flip flops as it's pretty urban, Mr & Mrs Ratty abound & I have a mortal fear of Weils disease. Not worried about atheletes foot, plantars, cheese etc but you're right, some folk are.

People are so odd about this, but there is no one size fits all policy as there are so many different rules.

My view is that the host should be prepared to say something if they have fixed views. Either tell people they may keep their shoes on, offer shoe covers or offer some kind of clean slippers or socks.

My husband whips his shoes off at the door always because that's how he was brought up, often he is the only person in socks. I think it is rude to ask guests to take their shoes off (unless they are in wellies or muddy hiking boots).

If you have fixed views make it clear to your guests in a polite way.

Oh and remember that some people can't walk barefoot or wear slippers due to medical conditions. My Mum's consultant would do his nut if she went barefoot and slippers have to have a proper sole and fully enclose the foot, no backless slippers or sliders. Lots of people find going barefoot painful due to plantar fascitis

I would never say anything but I would reeeeeeally prefer that people wore socks ! (Yes to taking shoes off and no to bare feet !! )

Also it’s not a choice between dog shit and bare feet - I don’t want either! Socks please !

I wonder what an etiquette expert would say? I find it odd that my mum has never mentioned this to me before - she taught me about elbows on the table etc, but not this. I’d thought maybe it was a generational thing, but perhaps not.
My parents don’t socialise very much, so maybe they’ve got a bit stuck in their ways - they wear slippers or indoor shoes at home.
I would just find it so weird to have just-in-case socks in my bag.
Oh well!

I can't think of anything worst than walking in somebody's house barefeet, especially with carpets. Very few people clean their carpets regularly, they barely hoover (ideally with shapes to pretend they are clean), people have changed nappies on the floor, kids have been sick..
carpets are vile, who would want to walk on that, might as well going without shoes in public loos!

@Essentialironingwater

I find it incredibly bizarre people would rather have the potential for dog poo on their carpet than recently showered feet or laundered socks. I had never even considered this to be a thing before.

How do you know they were recently showered feet though? I don't have a shoes on or shoes off policy in my house, we're more go with the flow but I do remember one friend asking if it would be ok if she slipped her shoes off and the smell was quite overpowering. Remembering that incident has made me usually wear socks if I'm going to a shoes off home because I'd hate to think that I was stinking up someone else's house.

I do think this is one of those things that people think their way is obvious and common courtesy and are very offended when people who never thought about it or think they're being polite come to visit.

Also I only have carpet on the stairs and that came with the house so I haven't had the experience of people putting sweaty feet on an expensive carpet that I carefully chose but I can imagine it could be very annoying and come across as rude.

I'm beginning to wonder if there are people who insist visitors wear gloves as they might have wiped their bum recently.

@Sheerdetermination

I wonder what an etiquette expert would say? I find it odd that my mum has never mentioned this to me before - she taught me about elbows on the table etc, but not this. I’d thought maybe it was a generational thing, but perhaps not. My parents don’t socialise very much, so maybe they’ve got a bit stuck in their ways - they wear slippers or indoor shoes at home. I would just find it so weird to have just-in-case socks in my bag. Oh well!

Out of interest I did a quick google, and most results were in favour of sanity shoes off indoors. Shoes can damage carpets more than bare feet so there's a practical side to it too.

I am used by the thought of so many MNers with a rack of 40 sets of slippers and one of those agricultural disinfectant mats ready for any guests to be suitable shoed and herded to the 3 square feet of kitchen they are permitted to enter.

I really wouldn’t want to be offered guest slippers. You don’t want my feet on your floors? I don’t want your communal slippers worn by Uncle Bob the other week and Cousin Joan at Christmas.

Feet are fucking vile. Take socks.

I am used by the thought of so many MNers with a rack of 40 sets of slippers

I think those of us who offer slippers are unusual. I've been called "fucking weird" for doing it. Also a slattern because obviously I don't wash them. I mean, I say I do but clearly I don't, because I couldn't possibly keep on top of the extra labour generated by chucking them into the laundry basket when the visit is over.

I really wouldn’t want to be offered guest slippers.

Key word is "offer". Your socks or bare feet are fine with me. It's just an option in case you want them. Some regular visitors bring their own. My mother leaves a pair here.

Coming from NZ, it's considered rude if you don't take shoes off before entering someones home.

Yuk.someone's sweating feet ? No thank you.
Socks or tights are fine but barefoot is unacceptable and I'm surprised anyone would do this is someone else's house.t
Leave your sweaty footmarks,dead skin and fluff for your own homes.😀🙈

Most people would hate me. In the summer I don't wear socks and live in sandals. I also hate the feeling of socks. I couldn't give a flying monkeys what you have on your feet as long as they aren't dirty.

@Mamamamasaurus

Feet are fucking vile. Take socks.

No, I wont. Maybe seek treatment for your footphobia?

I’d be mortified if someone was barefoot in our house.
Only because when they looked at their feet when they left they’d see how manky our floors are

@Shodan

Yuk. No thanks to other people's bare feet on my floors, dropping dead skin and potentially athlete's foot/verruca germs everywhere. Not to mention having to look at other people's feet (hairy toes, overgrown nails) or smell them.

Take socks.