Etiquette of taking shoes off at the door for guests?

[GYoIsReallyHavingABaby]

Hello
I've just got new hall and dining room wood floor (its bamboo so reasonably susceptible to damage) that was a lot of money to us so we'd like to keep nice for as long as possible.

The front door opens onto hall and goes through to dining room so we take our shoes off in the porch the before the front door.

Does anyone else have a "no shoes rule" and how do you deal with it with guests?

I feel awful asking people to take off shoes on way in... I'd always do it in other people's houses out of respect/ politness and I'd make sure I didnt make host feel awkward about it but a few guests over xmas have made me feel really bad for asking!

We have cream carpets, well beige really and as I said, generally, in the main living area and upstairs it's shoes off.
I am concerned about people thinking it is rude to ask guests to take shoes off - I would have thought it to be obvious not to wear outside footwear inside a house, especially a carpeted house. Obviously this does not apply to delivery men, meter readers, builders etc.
BUT I am having a rethink after this thread about whether I should just say "yes" if people offer, but say nothing if they don't - although most of my friends are no-shoers anyway - and wash the carpet after they have gone. But even thinking about people wearing street shoes inside my house makes me cringe - it just feels so wrong

I wouldn't dream of asking a guest to take their shoes off. It is extremely rude.

I would like to know what the 'no shoes policy' people do if guests decline. If you put it politely, as an invitation,an obvious answer is 'no thank you'. It must mean that you have to be very direct!

If merely thinking about people wearing shoes inside your house makes you cringe, then you really need to give yourself a good shake. That way madness lies...

I want to know how often the people who don't like shoes inside hoover/wash their carpets etc. I'm beginning to see that I may be the slummiest person in the world and I thought I was quite tidy.....

'Tis a personal preference - rather in the same way that some people like to allow their dogs to sleep in their bed with them and some don't.
When people come to the house I say casually "Come in, you can leave your coat and shoes here....." If they don't then they don't. It is usually done as a hint - I don't stand blocking the entrance to the lounge or anything FFS.
Some people, like myself think it is rude to leave shoes ON, not to ask to take them off. I accept the differences in people but that doesn't mean I can't express my own preferences in my own house does it? I also don't hate or pour scorn on people who have different preferences to my own.

mm, but you are conveying to your guest an expectation that they should take their shoes off. And that guest may feel that is rude.

I'm not really a fan of this whole "my house, my rules" mentality tbh. I prefer to put my guest's comfort and convenience ahead of my personal tastes.

It's irreconcilable, the two sides will never agree.

I just find it all terribly Hyacinth Bucket

That's right, the two sides can't agree. As I said it is a preference that I am entitled to have in that I DO have an expectation/hope that people should take shoes off in my home. However people that I invite to my house are people who are my friends/family and therefore would know that far from being anal and house-proud as the "no-shoe-ers" have been portrayed on here - I am actually a very easy going, welcoming and open-minded person. So whatever initial discomfort there may or may not be over the removal of shoes is negated during the rest of the visit. Although I do know of people who have the no-shoes rule who are unwelcoming in every other way. So it is not about the "rule" it is about the person. We all have our little idiosyncracies - that's what makes people so very interesting . Happy New Year to you all!

I find it terribly Hyacinth Bucket too! I actually know someone whose mother doesn't let her grandchildren into her lounge because of its pristine condition! That is really sad! A house is for living in; as soon as it starts to dictate the behaviour of the guests you have problems IMO. I take my shoes off, if asked, but I don't want to; I spend the rest of the visit surreptitiously trying to rub some feeling back into my feet!

Why would you walk around in London and all the things you walk in and then walk it all into your house? Its beyond me when its so easy peasy to just take your shoes off. I am not especially house-proud at all, just find it really filthy and also consider people who just walk into other peoples houses with shoes on rude.

Why would you walk around in London and all the things you walk in and then walk it all into your house? Its beyond me when its so easy peasy to just take your shoes off. I am not especially house-proud at all, just find it really filthy and also consider people who just walk into other peoples houses with shoes on rude.

Why do you assume that just because you don't want shit from outside walked into your house, your house must be in pristine condition?
Do you walk in with shoes when its raining and muddy outside too. Yikes.

It's also easy peasy not to tread in dog shit. Just look where you're going.

I bet there are more germs on your bathroom floor than there are on the soles of my shoes.

Not everyone lives in London, you know. And even those who do generally try to avoid walking in dog shit. And if anyone is unfortunate enough to tread in dog shit, they generally clean their shoes - we don't make a beeline for your house so we can grind dog shit into your carpet on purpose, you know!

I think it's rude to not respect the rules of whoevers house you are in. I personally wouldn't ask people to take shoes off but I don't like wearing shoes inside for reasons already discussed. You are not saying that the people wearing them are dirty but who knows what you are treading in on the streets.If you can keep your carpet/flooring clean for as long as possible what is so wrong with that????

Don't you have a door mat, Fairymum?

Do you not have door mats, Fairy?

Very odd.

Probably if you have walk all your germs into your carpet

x posted Edam

No, because I look where I am going and I wipe my feet

I was brought up in a no-shoes house. I don't understand people who wear shoes indoors- how is that comfortable? We don't do slippers either.

When my mum stays she takes her shoes off at the door. Visiting children are told asked to take off their shoes. Visiting adults/ delivery people/ HVs do as they please.

I think its a British things. Most of my friends are foreign and taking shoes off is the norm. Brits are not known to be particularly hygenic though.

"Brits are not known to be particularly hygienic"

Racist as well as bonkers.

If we are getting into national stereotypes, it used to be the French who were regarded as a bit, um, not terribly fond of soap and water.