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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to think wearing shoes indoors is a bit odd?

378 replies

Livefreely · 27/09/2026 15:55

For thinking it’s weird to wear shoes inside the house?! Had a couple over last week for lunch and they never took shoes off- even if it’s not bad weather the bottom of shoes are filthy!! So would they go round their house all day in shoes? So weird to me!!
now I’m cleaning my floors as they are so dirty!

OP posts:
TinDogTavern · 27/09/2026 16:00

Christ not this again.

ThisOliveKoala · 27/09/2026 16:04

yeah it’s disgusting, shoes are for outdoors not indoors

Livefreely · 27/09/2026 16:05

ThisOliveKoala · 27/09/2026 16:04

yeah it’s disgusting, shoes are for outdoors not indoors

Thank you!

OP posts:
clapalongnow · 27/09/2026 16:05

It would be far weirder for them to come in and take their shoes off in your house, surely?

I don’t think them keeping shoes on whilst visiting you for lunch is indicative of them wearing shoes all day at home though, why would you think that?

SourdoughSally · 27/09/2026 16:06

YABU. It's an affectation of the working classes to make themselves seem "posh"

Wipe your feet when you come in and there's no issue.

I find it incredibly rude to ask someone to remove their shoes

weareallqueens · 27/09/2026 16:08

Do you not have doormats?

Livefreely · 27/09/2026 16:10

weareallqueens · 27/09/2026 16:08

Do you not have doormats?

Yes I have doormats

OP posts:
Octavia64 · 27/09/2026 16:11

This is cultural issue.

the thread will divide into people who (like the Japanese and most of Asia) don’t wear shoes inside (dirty!)

and people who do wear shoes inside the house (some of Europe, Australia, parts of Africa).

this does not include New Zealandets who do not wear shoes at all (thus disgusting both camps)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Removal_of_footwear_indoors

Lomonald · 27/09/2026 16:12

I wear shoes in the house, I wipe my feet the pavement isn't as "filthy" as you think and if my shoes are dirty I take them off, what do you think will happen to you if you wear shoes inside? @Livefreely

I will add if someone asks i will take my shoes off in someone else's house i still think it is odd though.

Whisperwaves · 27/09/2026 16:13

Did they trek across muddy fields to get to yours?

Hadalifeonce · 27/09/2026 16:13

My in-laws are shoes on people my family are shoes off. DH thought I was weird when we first got together. When DS was about 2 or so, he had got so used to me saying 'shoes off, please' as soon as we got indoors, he started repeating it to everyone who came to our house.

HappySmily · 27/09/2026 16:17

I take off my shoes in my house purely for comfort, and will often walk in with them on. We also have a dog, and she doesn't take off her paws when she comes in either. Visitors also, are welcome with or without shoes. The only time I make a fuss is if my daughter walks around with muddy walking boots, or takes off a trainer full of sand and empties it on the sitting room carpet, but in both cases I just point her at the hoover and don't worry about it. I consider my house pretty clean and tidy in general, even with my floors being used for, you know, walking on.

Millytante · 27/09/2026 16:19

Probably owing to my boarding school uniform having both outdoor and indoor shoes, a distinction strictly adhered to, I can’t bear wearing my ‘outdoors’ in the house, but I do always wear some form of ‘indoors’ (usually Birkenstocks) that I put on the second I’m in the door.
For this reason, I flinch a bit watching tv series in which people are lounging around their homes in stout brogues, or red-soled stilettos. Have they no desire for comfort?

Bogstandardname · 27/09/2026 16:19

ThisOliveKoala · 27/09/2026 16:04

yeah it’s disgusting, shoes are for outdoors not indoors

This with bells on.

.

ilovepixie · 27/09/2026 16:20

Not this again. Mumsnet is obsessed with shoes!

User3456 · 27/09/2026 16:20

I don't usually wear shoes at home but am not especially strict on this unless shoes are obviously wet or dirty. I prefer to wear slippers at home but will occasionally leave shoes on if I am going out again or running in for something I forgot for example.
I don't ask visitors to take their shoes off.
I do ask if I am visiting someone else's house if they would like me to take my shoes off, and of course I do if they're a no shoes on house, but in honesty I would probably prefer to leave them on (my feet get cold if I don't have slippers on instead).
So your visitors should probably have asked if you would like them to take their shoes off, but equally I would have said no it's fine, keep your shoes on when they were visiting if they were at my house.
I don't think this is a big deal.

KateBushAgain · 27/09/2026 16:20

I’m wearing knee high boots 😂

ALovelyPinkUnicorn · 27/09/2026 16:22

Do you take your shoes off when you go into work @Livefreely ?

PeasOff · 27/09/2026 16:24

Non issue unless you've trod in something or have cream carpets throughout (hope you don't have young kids either if you do 🤣)

weareallqueens · 27/09/2026 16:25

ilovepixie · 27/09/2026 16:20

Not this again. Mumsnet is obsessed with shoes!

It is absolutely assumed to be a class signifier.

HostaCentral · 27/09/2026 16:26

I had indoor and outdoor shoes at school. So much nicer than now, when schools are so dirty and muddy everywhere.

We are a shoes off house, and I actually mostly walk barefoot in the house. Always have. So I don't want crappy shoes walking on my cream carpets.

Visitors can keep theirs on though.

montysmaw · 27/09/2026 16:28

You floors are dirty because some ody had shoes on for a couple of hours?
Had they come directly from a ploughed field?

PenelopeAsks · 27/09/2026 16:31

Oh god. This is so dull. Anyway. I live in an old country house. We don’t have carpets. We have stone floors, dogs etc. I wash the floors daily.
when we have guests, they keep their shoes on. Why wouldn’t they? I can assure you my floors are cleaner than your carpets.

Sidebeforeself · 27/09/2026 16:31

I hate it when people offer you slippers . Wear something that has had someone else’s manky feet in? No thanks

vodkaredbullgirl · 27/09/2026 16:32

Madness