To think it's really rude to keep your shoes on when you visit someone's home

[Pavementworrier]

There's so much dog poo about now it's basically a trampling of dog poo

I always go to take off my shoes and am met with a ‘oh no don’t worry about taking your shoes off!’ Which then leaves me feeling awkward that if I leave them on am I being a dirty bitch, or if I continue to take them off do they think I’m weird for wanting them off even though they don’t have to be 🤣

I agree!
I can’t imagine snuggling up on the sofa with shoes or boots on. What the hell! Especially at the moment when it’s wet or muddy outside. Why would anyone do that!
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have all their shoes by the front door and everyone takes them off before going in.

Just thought about this and I automatically go to take mine off if there's carpets but keep them on if it's wooden flooring. The sight of carpet sort of triggers me into taking my shoes off but I wouldn't think to otherwise.

If I had a shower and changed into my pjs, I would put my slippers on. If I came in from a muddy walk, I would probably just wipe my feet and then sweep and mop once the mud dried because the dog would be covered in mud anyway, so taking my shoes off would be pointless, there'd still be mud on the floor, and my slippers would get covered in mud.

I don’t bother, but each to their own I guess. 🤷‍♀️

Babies dribbling on the floor
pets bums on the floor
food crumbs on floor
foot sweat on the floor
dead skin and toenails on the floor.

I don’t want to walk on that with my bare feet!
You’re floors aren’t as clean as you think!

You’re contradicting yourself there - claiming it definitely is rude, but then saying different people think differently….?

That poster said they think its rude, so they are right to say people think differently. No contradiction there.

You do realise there is dog and animal piss all over pavements, right?
On what planet do you think their shoes are cleaner than their socks/feet both of which are likely clean that morning/ washed daily?

And what about dogs and their feet? And what are hoovers for?

Of course I do. That's why I have a mat at the door.

I think you have overconfidence in people's personal hygiene standards. Even lots of MN posters don't shower daily and don't actually wash their feet, just let the water trickle down!!

My house, my rules and I won't risk potentially smelly feet in it. I would rather have to clean the floor than deal with obnoxious odours.

I have hardwood floors throughout the house so it doesn’t bother me if people take their shoes off indoors or not. Might be a different matter if it were carpet. Most guests take them off or offer to take them off anyway. My Asian guests will always take them off even if I tell them it’s okay. British, white people will usually leave them on.

Do you really want feet like this on your floors!

Shoes off in our house. I would always do that or ask to do that in someone elses’s house but I also usually have slippers with me everywhere.

🤔2 threads in one.

one word - spiders

Why do all the shoes-on people seem to have never heard of socks?!

In previous houses we were definitely a shoes on household as all downstairs floors were wooden and easily cleaned.

However have just moved and hallway and sitting room are carpeted. They are huge areas and would be very expensive to replace with wood, so shoes are most definitely now off! Can’t bear the thought of outdoor shoes being on the carpets.

You are being extremely unreasonable for starting yet another bloody discussion on this topic

I love the ridiculous extreme ends of this argument 😂

I lived in Japan where even at the dentist I had to take my shoes off and wear slippers. In all my time there I never contracted a fungal disease. And I can’t say I noticed smelly sock stains on the floors 😂

Likewise my parents are a shoes on household and I’ve never encountered any issues.

Personally I prefer shoes off as I find it more cosy. I also agree that people’s socks will be cleaner than the bottom of their shoes. However either way it’s not a big deal.

God are people really suggesting that a pair of socks is dirtier than a pair of shoes? I don’t want to think of the hygiene implications of that.

Do you provide people slippers or something when they come to your house? No, then expect them to leave their shoes on. Bad etiquette to expect guests to remove their shoes.

I have hard floors downstairs all except the rug in the living area.
We are takeoff shoes, household, and majority of people see our shoes in the hall and take theirs off. Some do not however. Nor do they wipe their feet on the doormat in the hall. They walk their wet shoes through the hallway into my living room (v short distance tiny house) and tread muddy water / mud all over my rug. I keep my mouth shut but silent seething. I won’t ask as they tend to be older and shoes on off in a strange hall is tricky. I tell my children’s friends and my friends straight out.

They could bloody wipe their feet and be mindful when it rains however !! I’d have expected better manner from older generations.

It’s not true to say the middle/upper classes wear shoes inside. Those in the countryside don’t anyway. If you’ve been outside in the mid/walking the dogs/horses/children etc you most definitely do not where your boots inside.

I suffer from plantar fasciitis (meaning no shoes/slippers makes it very painful to walk) and also get very cold feet, so always wear good fitflop slippers in my own house. I would never expect visitors to take their shoes off. I hate going to houses where there are ‘shoe police’! I try to remember to take my slippers but sometimes I forget.