Shoes and bags from outside coming in, am I weird?

[HelloDenise]

I don't allow people to walk around my house wearing shoes. When I get home I wipe the soles and edges of shoes clean before they get put away. I'd never go outside in slippers.

People spit, puke, wee and do God knows what else on the pavement not to mention what animals do and flick their leftover smoking paraphernalia on the floor.(Not animals for the last one)

I won't put bags on the ground at bus stops or train stations because of this either. I balance them on my knee and just hang on to them if waiting for public transport.

I'm told I'm odd, does anyone else do this? I don't want remnants of piss and puke, old pizzas and other stuff brought into the house.

I mean, I don't wear shows in the house but wiping them and cleaning them after every wear? 🤣

A lot of people think putting worn shoes in the wardrobe is disgusting, cursory wipe or not.

Though we mainly have solid floors downstairs, I’m in the no shoes on carpets, and no bags on the floors of public loos camp.

We do take our shoes off when we enter the house and they live in the hallway on a shoe rack. Who cleans their shoes and puts them in the wardrobe every time they come in??? You do sound a bit OTT to be honest, of course pavements aren't covered with wee, poo, spit and old pizza - not where I live anyway! I think most people would put their bags on the floor by their feet in a restaurant or cafe but not outside on the street?

All way over the top OP but if it makes you happier then you do you.

We're generally a shoes off household but I won't tell guests to take them off unless they ask. Except if they've got visibly muddy shoes - I just don't want to get mud on the carpets!

Honestly I think either way is fine. Shoes off only becomes a problem when it would cause you stress - e.g. if you just needed to run back into your house to grab something you forgot, would you need to take your shoes off and on again? How about one of your guests? Would it be bothering you afterwards if someone stepped inside wearing shoes? That would be a bit over the top in my book but people will do as they will!

Why are there so many posts about the fear of germs at the moment? Is it 2020 again?

And shoes off in the house has been done to death on Mumsnet. (MN is even gaining a reputation for this on other sites!)

No. I am not going to take my shoes off in anyone's house.

My house is mostly hard floors so while I often walk bare foot, I’m paranoid about athletes foot and would rather clear up dog mess brought in than have to treat foot fungus.

My feet are bloody freezing today even wearing socks. So not a chance I'd visit anyone and take my shoes off. And no, I won't wear slippers that you provide or take slippers with me.

100% agree

If someone asked you to please remove your shoes, you'd flatly refuse?

Do you get asked back a second time?

Would my little boy be unwelcome in your house? He's a full time wheelchair user and while I can (and do) take my shoes off at the door I can't take his wheels off and leave them outside.

We all take our footwear off when we come in but wipe them down? Nah. I’d be wiping the cat’s feet all the time if we lived at that pitch of germ hysteria

I understand the desire for people to keep their carpets clean, and not to want mud from outside tracked in onto carpets. But the desire to keep 'germs' at bay through what I consider to be ridiculous measures is what boggles my mind. There are germs everywhere. Taking shoes off isn't going to stop germs, unless you're going to put visitors through a full body shower at the door you are going to get 'germs', and even if you hose them down with buckets of dettol, there are germs, bacteria and viruses in the air.

I keep unnecessary housework to a minimum. Have yet to contract any nasty illnesses other than from person-to-person contact and I'd rather meet people than live in isolation through fear.

People don't clean their shoes when they come! They take their shoes off. They know what I'm like and it's not a problem. My sister and a friend have slippers for me at their houses.

For the person who asked I've got two cats.

For me it's less about germs and more about actual muck. I used hand gel after public transport way before anyone had heard of COVID-19. I find with strap hanging and holding poles on public transport they can get sticky and horrible and it gives me the creeps.

I wipe my feet when I get home and put my shoes in a cupboard. We don't wear shoes in the house but we don't ask visitors to take their shoes off because I wash my floors regularly. I don't allow shoes upstairs but none of my visitors have need to go upstairs unless they're staying over.
I never put my bag on the ground anywhere and never on the floor of a toilet. I don't put bags on the table either.

do you clean the visitors shoes before putting them down in your house or do they have to leave them outside?

Nobody has never been rude enough to ask!

Definitely excessive and, to use your own word OP, weird.
We all survive bit of muck and, frankly, it's just miserable to spend your life worrying about trivia.

No shoes worn in our house , its not odd at all and v common in middle eastern and far east cultures etc

I'm very well thanks 🦩 🦩

@HeadyLamarr I think Unewhatever is just a wind up merchant! If not, just be glad, like I am, that it's unlikely to ever darken your doorstep 😅

No i don't do this. What's the harm in walking around outside then walking into your home in the same shoes? Obviously if I'd stepped in something disgusting I'd wash it off my shoes. But general walking around on pavements etc poses no risk to health whatsoever

I agree that people can be disgusting on public transport, but constantly using hand sanitiser isn't doing your skin any favours - can you not just wash your hands before you touch/eat food or your face? Your hands are going to be covered in germs all the time, not just from strap hanging or touching handles, so washing your hands before you touch food is a good habit to get into anyway.