To expect no-outdoor-shoe households to provide slippers?

[pairofrollerskates]

Just that - slides, or foot covers of some kind. Of course, if you know in advance it's different, but when you turn up for the first time at someone's house to be told "please take off outdoor shoes" at the door (which is reasonable, we all get to decide what happens in our own homes), surely something should be provided rather than expect visitors to pad about in bare feet, or socks.

I always take my shoes off at other houses by default. Because everyone I visit has their shoes off indoors so I just put mine by the pile of shoes that's already there. I didn't know it was a thing not to!

We are mostly shoes off inside at home. I would never ask others to do so. If someone comes round they generally go to take their shoes off (as above) and I say they don't have to, although would secretly find it a bit rude if they didn't (except if they only have flip flops on and don't want to be bare foot...for some reason I find that fine!)

Why do you assume the floors have to be disgusting? It could be that some of us don’t want to see or smell other people’s feet as well as having guests/visitors with mobility issues who cannot easily put on and remove their shoes.

If someone comes round they generally go to take their shoes off (as above) and I say they don't have to, although would secretly find it a bit rude if they didn't

That's so English of you.

I am a shoes off house .I live in Germany and kids learn from a very young age to take their shoes off when entering a house .It is second nature .I have a selection of slippers and socks for guests (always take the hotel or plane slippers with me )I have just come in from the cleaning the path in front of our house .Someones dog had pooed all over the footpath in 5 different spots and it was smashed into the footpath .It would not be visible in the dark but if we didn't take our shoes off it would have been traipsed all over the house .Disgusting!

If you don’t take your shoes off, when do you get to show off your lovely fun/seasonal socks?!

I’ve got a stash of plastic shoe covers for workmen. You could have a pair of those 😂

Just wear socks or take socks when visiting friends who don’t want gross outdoor muck spread all over their clean floors.

You don't think the slippers are?

They are.

My question was in regards to dirty shoes. I'm genuinely interested in why this would be preferable to socks, as I would (out of politeness) automatically remove dirty shoes before entering another person's house.

I'm not trying to be a d!ck, I'm trying to understand why this might be a faux pas.

very much so. all the dirt and animal poo from outside being tracked into an indoor domestic space is pretty grim in my view.

Mine is very much a non optional shoes off house.

Any American or Australian posters? What happens in your houses?

American, West Coast. To each his or her own. Some people want shoes off, some don't care. Some provide some sort of foot covering, some don't.

I find the notion of 'communal slippers' kinda bleurgh, unless they're some sort of washable (in hot water) slippers. I do have a friend who has a basket of white plain one size fits most 'Peds' and low cut men's socks (for guests who aren't wearing any or wearing tights) that she washes and bleaches after use. She also has paper shoe covers for people who absolutely refuse to take their shoes off. But honestly, no one makes a big deal about taking off one's shoes.

We're a 'case by case' household. I don't mind shoes per se, but since we're out in the country if your shoes are muddy or disgusting, leave them in the entry room and I'll find you a clean pair of socks.

Do the shoes off people have no visitors with arthritis, plantar fascitis or other issues that make it painful to walk without shoes or to bend down to take off and put on their shoes? I think they are most unreasonable. I have indoor and outdoor shoes for my house. I never walk around bare foot -it is painful.

If its not filthy, you wouldn’t have a problem with someone walking round in socks. So its not really an issue if someone wants to be respectful of your home and not bring in dog poo/mud/chewing gum when they come to see you.

So what if someone refuses to let you in?
I give everyone (workmen, midwife, health visitor etc) those blue shoe covers and have never had someone refuse.

In my previous job, we did home visits. We had a client who didn't allow shoes in his house, but provided shoe covers.

After a colleague slipped on his carpet and hurt her back so badly she was off for weeks, wearing shoe covers was banned on grounds of risk (we weren't allowed to go shoeless in case we had to make a quick getaway for any reason).

I suppose if your hosts are wearing slippers, maybe. But honestly, isn't it just common sense (and good manners to offer) to take off your shoes inside?

I have guest slippers - 15 pairs, in S, M & L, all soft and machine washable. They get washed once worn, then put back in the slipper basket.

You are determined to show how supposedly 'respectful' you are by doing the opposite of what your host wants.

Weird does not come close.

When I have been to Chinese peoples homes they have provided slippers in a sealed bag.

Fine if you’ve got carpets, but hard floors can be cold.

Our 6 pairs are three different sizes. Generally we only have a couple of people visit at a time, so it’s always been sufficient.

If your walking around with super massive feet or teenie tiny toes, then I presume you know this and either bring your own, or a pair of socks. Or you freeze. If we have a huge gathering people know this and again bring their own.

Ds nursery and the school here ( not uk) is fully shoe free beyond clock room. Every child or adult has slippers or clean shoes that aren’t worn outside. Every morning parents of nursery kids have to take own shoes off and walk in socks to the appropriate classroom. Many parents have their own slip on mules they leave with child’s slippers for this 2 min walk each morning and lunchtime. My Ds already reminds us at 2 years that this is the rule. So most children here will grow up in shoe free environment indoors and carry on habit as adults.

I get plantar fasciitis and am the only person allowed to wear outdoor shoes in MIL's house!

I'll save you a seat.

There's Violet gin or ordinary (Whittaker's)

Generally people with mobility issues are much less likely to have muddy or wet shoes

I remember being invited around a friend's house of ex-DH for dinner. His friend's girlfriend immediately asked me to take my shoes off, I hesitated as didn't have socks on. When she realised she offered me up some of her slipper socks... politely declined as they looked scruffy, but then it was so awkward walking around her house in bare feet!

If its not filthy, you wouldn’t have a problem with someone walking round in socks

I think this is the third time I’ve explained this. My hall is tiny. I don’t want it full of other people’s shoes creating a trip hazard. We don’t leave our shoes there, we wear them in the house. The carpets are vacuumed every day and shampooed twice a year, the kitchen floor is mopped every day. My house is no filthier than yours and I bet my socks are a damn sight cleaner than yours.

Im pretty sure exceptions could be made for mobility issues if it was really a problem taking shoes off. But then all elderly people in my family have also always taken shoes off at the door in their own homes, never saw my grandparents walking around in shoes in the house, they always wore slippers when they were alive (into their 80’s/90’s).