Asking people to take their shoes off

[miche8]

So then is it considered rude to ask people to slip their shoes off when they enter your house? we have cream carpets and young children that play on the floor. I always take my shoes off if visiting someone else or i ask if they want me to.

we just moved here, the cream carpets are not my choice but look new so trying to keep them clean, it would be years before we could afford to replace the flooring. I am amazed at some peoples attitude when i ask them to slip their shoes off, and even when they visit again i have to still remind them, you would think i have asked them to strip naked. Father in law who thankfully doesn't visit very often and today was the first time to our new house said 'these shoes are new, i'm not taking them off' i just walked off and he went into the lounge where my dh came in from the garden and spotted him wearing shoes and asked him to take them off, not knowing i already had, father in law started ranting and stormed out, 'telling us we were rude and to grow up'. wtf?

Just get your carpets cleaned regularly - its not that expensive. And seriously - adults will wipe their feet.

Its just not terribly gracious to get into arguments over removing shoes.

I think it's rude to ask, yes. However if it is obvious that there are cream carpets, no one else has shoes on, big pile by the door etc, it would be a bit rude to keep them on. It is much more welcoming to feel free to keep them on though IMO.

I think it respectful to take your shoes of, I don't have carpets though. The only time I have had a cream carpet was to sell a house, house sold but the cream carpet nearly drove me insane cleaning it up to 3 times a day. Why anyone would have cream carpets is beyond me. However I agree with a no shoes house.

MrsCampbell

That's exactly why I won't play hostess.

Bloo32 we only have them to sell the house. Fitted last week and I want to move out TODAY!

Personally I hate being asked to remove shoes I think it's very unwelcoming and I think making guests sit with nothing on their feet is very uncomfortable not to mention cold. Interestingly HRH the Queen was wearing her shoes inside Buckingham Palace when James Bond came calling at the Olympic opening ceremony... Is it just the poor who make callers remove shoes as they can't afford carpet? < I doubt it just being inflammatory on a wet bank holiday with nothing to do Lol>

I would never dream of walking round someone's house with my shoes on unless they absolutely insisted it was fine and even then it still feels wrong, the idea of spreading the filth that is picked up on pavements etc on carpet is gross!

This is why you shouldn't have carpets downstairs then you can mop away to all the pavement dirt

I would assume that as adults they will take them off if dirty- it is rude to ask.

If anyone asks me to remove my shoes I do it graciously, but I'm inwardly thinking 'PITA'.

Same here pictish - it is also the sort of house I don't want to go to if any choice. I can never understand floors above people

It just feels respectful to remove my shoes when I go into someone's house that's all! No shoes on at home was how I was brought up though so it doesn't seem unusual to me.

I find it very rude of people to ask me to remove my shoes. It's as if they're saying "your shoes are filthy and you can't possibly know how to use a doormat".

I don't ask anyone to remove their shoes; it smacks of ridiculously obsessive hygiene and lack of manners.

So now you know.

It is a class thing - as was alluded to earlier. But this is never a popular thing to say.

I do think though that its mad to have things in your home that you are so fearful of getting dirty.

Rude and annoying. Most people will anyway.

The one that I have to do it has cold floors-I spend the entire time trying to surreptitiously warm my feet. (please don't suggest that you keep guest slippers-that really is dire).

The mere thought of guest slippers gives me the heebie jeebies

I can cope with taking my shoes off-but guest slippers is just a step too far!

Ugh at guest slippers. Minging.

Agree at class thing.

It is just a step on from the 'guest parlour' where it was kept in pristine condition and you lived in the kitchen. Personally I would rather get invited into the kitchen and feel homely and welcome than somewhere where the householder was on edge in case you made a mark.

someone is a shoe nazi somewhere

or not

I do take mine off if I think that the host will want me to, I take my cue from them or other guests but no one has ever been rude enough to ask.

But what happens if you insist on shoes off and get a guest with really stinky feet?

I think it is a class thing too.

Guest slippers are boaktastic.

I have a strict shoes off policy in my house. I have laminate flooring all throughout downstairs, yes I can mop it but why should I.

I don't want outsides piss, shit, vomit, spit in my house.

Everyone knows the rules and if they don't like it they don't come in simple as that. It's my house

Seriously - you can't be bothered to mop laminate but would rather be an ungracious host?

I just really don't get that at all but as you say its your house.