Outdoor shoes - on or off?

If anyone asks me if they should take their shoes off I say not to worry until the dogs learn to wipe their feet! I do know how much dirt can be walked in as I have dirt trapper mats and the amount of dirt I vacuum out of them is unbelievable.

Wouldn't automatically do it but certainly would comply on request. If I saw a pile of shoes by the entrance I might be prompted to ask. Always do a thorough job on doormat particularly in inclement weather.

I always take my shoes off when I go into someone’s house. For years I had a horrible dark green carpet in my living room so didn't bother but now I have a light coloured carpet I take my shoes off. The trouble is most of the people whose houses I always take my shoes off in don’t seem to bother in my house because they’re so used to not doing so. Any children visiting automatically take their shoes off these days, though, so I’m hoping as they grow up it will become a cultural thing.

Hycinth Bucket or Bouquet, we’ve always removed our shoes when going indoors, our house or other people’s. Most visitors do same, in fact can’t think of anybody who doesn’t.

well to me it would seem rather cheeky to take my shoes off on entering someone else's house, seems over-familiar, as if i live there or am expecting to move in.
it is not traditional in this country, uk.
perhaps this is changing, and perhaps it's linked to so many people failing to wipe their feet, which does annoy me.

Could you buy a couple of cheap rugs ? Then when someone comes just put them down ... personally I wouldn't ask people to take off their shoes ... I have offered at people houses if carpet it really light & yes taken them off ... would I go again of course I would ... saying that ... your home if you want to ask/tell people to take off shoes ... could even have a couple of pairs cheap mules ... ask them if they would like to put them on ... some may some may not ... your home your decision

Shoes off at home and in anyone else's for us. Most people take their shoes off here without being asked.
When I had to visit other people's homes as a professional I carried shoe covers. I wasn't comfortable taking shoes off then in case I needed to make a quick getaway!

I've never taken my shoes off in someone's home. Nobody has asked me to. Had they done, of course I would have.

Nobody gets to take their shoes off in our homes either. Unless they want to.

Family always do, guests rarely and we never ask. In other people’s houses I take off trainers and pad around in socks, but not with lighter shoes and tights.

I really don't want people padding about my house, in their sweaty socks or worse bare feet! Just a quick wipe on the mat and come in, will suffice! Obviously if shoes or boots are dirty or muddy then that's different.

Have never asked people to take their shoes off in our house. Some people offer and are told to do what feels comfortable. I have been asked to take my boots off in an acquaintance’s house which meant I was in pain as I can’t walk barefoot and then couldn’t get them back on without a shoe horn. That then lead to her having to try and find one. I don’t know that I would feel comfortable going there again.

AC and GC always remove shoes in the porch before entering the house but my sisters never do. I do prefer shoes to be removed as the carpets are light and the GC sit on the floor but I never ask visitors to do so.

I can just about cope with outdoor shoes left on indoors but cannot abide outdoor shoes trampling about on the stairs and upstairs rooms.

Outdoor shoes in the bedroom? No thanks - a step too far!

why would visitors be going in the bedrooms.

Most people remove their shoes without being asked, as do we in others’ homes.
If someone asks I take it that they prefer not to so do not press them, apart from once. We always remove our shoes at their house but they never do at oursoffered a couple some slippers I keep for visitors but they said their shoes were clean and then sat for the next 5 hours rubbing their shoes on our light coloured sofa. The marks never came out.
If I’m Europe it’s expected that visitors remove shoes. It’s seen as being considerate in someone else’s home.

welbeck

why would visitors be going in the bedrooms.

‘Visitors’ wasn’t mentioned in my post.

My family and I always take our shoes off in each others houses, but if the occasional workman workman who comes in offers to take his off I always tell them not to bother, we've only got carpet in one room.

I think it’s cultural thing, my DIL has a no shoes rule in their house, but apparently DS said it’s very common there, people like Nell8 dil have a basket full of slippers and a shoe rack and chair by the door for guests to change into.

Makes sense I guess with my gc on the floor for them to be clean.

Good luck in my house though with two dogs and a oblivious DH that walks his muddy golf shoes on my beige carpet ?

VANECAM

welbeck

why would visitors be going in the bedrooms.

‘Visitors’ wasn’t mentioned in my post.

well other people either live there or are staying there. that is different. they are residents, so it is natural to remove/change their footwear inside.

I wouldn't ask anyone, as we have laminate floors. If we visit someone with light coloured carpets, then I do ask if they'd prefer me to take my shoes off.

No one has ever wanted me to, though.?

It is all very well saying that darker or multi coloured carpets do not show the dirt - but the dirt is still there.

Whenever I am visiting anyone in their home, I always take a pair of slippers with me, and change as I enter their home. To me, this is just being polite.

I have laminated floors throughout my flat (except my bedroom), but still expect people not to bring indoors their dirty shoes. My grandchildren have always always taken off outdoor shoes as they enter - it is what they do in their own homes.

I have some spare slippers for visitors if they want them, and also those disposable blue overshoes for those who do not wish to take off their shoes, etc. Living in a flat, by the time people reach my front door, they would have walked through our carpeted entrance lobby, in the lift or up the stairs, but I still do not really want those outdoor shoes in my home.

I am not someone who is extra-ordinary house-proud, or worried about that 'peck of dirt' - but really do not want the normal dirt in the sole of shoes, no matter how much wiped, coming into my home.

DH will not take his shoes off. He is diabetic and has been advised to always wear shoes, feet can easily be damaged and diabetics do not always feel the pain but if not careful, it can lead to amputation.
I prefer to keep mine on as I broke a toe a few years back and am wary now. But I take slippers if I am going to someone’s house.

Spare a thought for those who find putting shoes on and off difficult. We stopped visiting one houseproud friend because DH was so embarrassed that shoe removal had become such an effort for him.

Only one person has ever asked me to take my shoes off, and I hate it because one foot needs support and hurts without it, plus my socks sometimes get wet on her kitchen floor. It means I don’t want to go round to her house and would rather meet at a café. I would never ask someone to do this. To me it’s quite unreasonable.

MrsKen33

We all do as a family. Always take slippers when visiting DD or DS. But I wouldn’t ask a visitor to do so. That would be rude and they might be embarrassed..

Us too. I automatically taught all the children to take their shoes off when they came indoors, and they all wore slippers. Even now in their 30s and 40s, they still automatically do, and they've taught their children the same way. I wouldn't ask anyone to remove their shoes though, even my ex-mother-in-law, who once traipsed through a pile of dog muck on the pavement, didn't even wipe her feet and just spread it the full length of our hall and lounge! My (2nd) husband wasn't brought up to remove his shoes, and I don't feel I can or should insist he does - it's his house too, after all! However, he does have a nasty habit sometimes, when he takes them off, of putting them on the soft furnishings, which maddens me, he just doesn't see the logic of keeping them on the floor. I've even thrown them out of the window when I've found them on the bed, but nothing ever changes. I do ensure we never have white bed linen!!! (and wash everything regularly, of course!!) But it's instilled in him as a child, so he's not going to change now!! Another of his learnt behaviours is using the tea-towel to wipe down mucky kitchen surfaces!! Words fail me! And understanding the idiocy of it seems to fail him. I'm just very vigilant, shall we say, both at home and at his mums!!!!!