To ask visitors to please do this?

[925XX]

Remove their shoes. I have very pale cream carpets and no one in the household wears shoes in the house. My niece recently called and it was heavily raining, she had cork sole shoes on which sucked up lots of water which she tramped over my carpets. I asked her to take them off as wet soggy prints were being left behind. I do not have to ask some people but feel awkward when I do ask.

@ScentOfSawdust do you offer to clean the wood floors you have made unnecessarily dirty? Why do you blithely expect that a host would cheerfully get out a broom or mop and clean up after you? Do you not consider that rudeness on your part?

Bravo

I think it's rude to assume your guests can read your mind. If you want shoes off in your house, ask. If you prefer to take your shoes off in someone else's house, ask.

In challenging times it's comforting to see this subject roll around with reassuring regularity on MN though.

I always take my shoes off when i go to someone's house. But since covid this became law in my house. I also had a crawling baby at the time.
the more you say it to people the more it gets easier. I also bought a sign that i hung up at the entrance to further reinstall our house rules. I've never encountered someone that has problems with it. Even workmen put covers over their shoes when i ask them to take them off.

For the study, 10 people wore brand-new shoes for two weeks before their kicks were sampled for bacteria. The outside of the shoes averaged 421,000 units of bacteria, compared with 2,887 on the inside. And fecal bacteria appeared on 96% of the shoes.

That fecal bacteria "indicates frequent contact with fecal material, which most likely originates from floors in public restrooms or contact with animal fecal material outdoors," Gerba said for the study.
And here's the, ahem, kicker: The transfer rate bacteria from shoes to clean tiles was 90% to 99%.
Bacteria found on the footwear included E. coli, a source of urinary tract infections and diarrhea, as well as other bacteria causing pneumonia (Klebsiella pneumonia) and respiratory tract infections (Serratia ficaria).a

Your house, your rules, as long as you do the same.

Well, we're all dicks it seems. Just different dicks.

So I am glad no shoes in my house.

Can you imagine giving your visitors shoe bags to put on?

Surely the biggest dick is the one with a sign?!

Total cringe

And here's the, ahem, kicker: The transfer rate bacteria from shoes to clean tiles was 90% to 99%.

Did it transfer to any area where it would do harm, is the pertinent question? My understanding is that transference from floor is extremely low risk.

There's bacteria all over the place always. It's only problematic if it causes illness.

It wa

It's extremely presumptuous. Why would you assume I am ok with you removing your shoes?

If you want to take your shoes off, ask me am I ok with it. I'm not particularly, but out of politeness, I will tell you there is no need but if you prefer to take them off, go ahead.

Surely the biggest dick is the one with a sign?!

There was a poster once who wanted to send an email to friends and family 😵

Well there you are, OP. All settled.

Pin up your scientific findings in the porch.

Well there goes my next NC...

So you expect people to follow your rules in your house (fair enough) but then you impose your rules on people you are visiting without asking? Slight double standard there.

Already done it and laminated it.

Aw please keep your user name, it was gold

It wasn't something I've encountered until quite recently, I wear orthotics so always wear shoes at home and generally have wooden floors everywhere. I find it slightly odd when people take their shoes at mine, but say they're welcome to and I remove mine if asked but it certainly wouldn't occur to me to do so. Until this thread I hadn't realised how common it was that people expected visitors to do this. I think if you do you should give people prior warning so they can dress accordingly / ensure socks or bring slippers

I'm going to go look for a child ear piercing thread now.

Coming up next!!!! How to I get my visitors to eat cake over the plate I gave them?

I'm going to go look for a child ear piercing thread now.

I prefer the loo brush ones myself

Also Irish, the thought of putting my floors above a guest feeling welcome makes me go cold! Next you'll be saying you don't force feed them Barry's and a fry!

You can keep your shoes on or take them off in my house, I couldn't give a shite 😂