Outdoor shoes - on or off?

First person I knew who was fussy about things like this was the mother of one of my son’s friends. When he went to play at said friend’s house, (this was nearly 40 years ago), they had to remove not only their shoes, but also their tops and trousers, so ran around the house in vest and pants! Very odd, but she had pale carpets and suite.

Not sure how that would be viewed nowadays.

Should add, not just my son, this applied to all the boy’s friends.

When I worked for over 20 yrs as a Community Nurse I would ALWAYS wipe my feet very thoroughly before entering, but I would often be asked to remove shoes, even winter boots, which I hated! If I was visiting somewhere very plush, I would half-heartedly offer, especially in mucky weather,but there were many homes I went to where I would be wanting to wipe my feet on the way OUT!!!!!

There are soft slipper things which are all bubbly on the bottom like mops.
I think I'll start asking people to slip a pair on when they visit and direct them to shuffle over to the dirty bits of floor.

? Brilliant idea!

We take our shoes off in the porch but I wouldn't ask anyone else to. Workmen put sheets down. If people ask I usually say no as we have mostly oak floors.
I have been to a couple of holiday cottages where there was a bag of communal slippers which we chose not to use as they were smelly.
I have also been to dinner at someone's house and been asked to remove our shoes. My friend had to go to the loo with a fit of giggles, when she came back she pointed under the table and there was an array of socks under formal suits and dresses and the hostess had a pair of pink fluffy mules on.

I think it depends on where your priorities lie , what is more important clean carpets or not making friends family or guests maybe feel uncomfortable

Nanna58

I think it depends on where your priorities lie , what is more important clean carpets or not making friends family or guests maybe feel uncomfortable

That's how I see it.

You can vacuum a carpet or mop a floor in the unlikely event that someone leaves marks behind. Most people will have been walking on pavements rather than through fields, and if they have actual mud on their feet would remove it as a matter of course before coming in.

These are very nice.
"Ooh, would you mind just shuffling over into that corner on your way to the sofa?"

Ooh, I really want a pair of those now!

After my first baby was born a midwife advised putting a clean towel on the floor in order to change his nappy hygienically and safely. She said she wasn’t implying anything about the state of our carpets but rather that there’s no knowing what visitors’ feet have trodden in. I’ve never forgotten this piece of advice…

That makes sense if you are lying a vulnerable person on the floor; but for most people that just doesn't happen. We don't eat off the floor, or crawl about on it like babies do.

That being the case, why worry about minute amounts of nasties that have been walked in and escaped the hoover/mop when you are sitting on a chair or sofa, well away from them?

As with the rest of the people I knew growing up (friends, family) I know how to wipe my feet properly - assuming they have a doormat!!

I'm not going to ask people to take shoes off here.

And while I will take then off if someone asks me to, I really would rather not be walking round their house in my bare feet!!

My midwife advised putting a clean towel down on the carpet before (hygienically and safely) changing baby’s nappy. She wasn’t being rude about my housekeeping skills, just that “you never know what your visitors have trodden in”! I’ve never forgotten this advice…

We have, in the past, had no shoes indoors rules. No-one minded being asked to remove their footwear.
A few of you have said you'd no objection to having been asked to remove your shoes at others places do why be embarrassed about doing do so at your homes?
I've often noticed that plenty of people tend to just walk right over a door mat, not giving a care what's on their shoes!

Odd one this.
Would anyone ask their GP, a paramedic or a carer to remove their footwear? (Stretch of the imagination re doctors doing housecalls ) I know…

The majority of houses, in this country at least have no hall to speak of and no space for piles of shoes (trip hazard?) or apart from the stairs room for a chair.
I think it is an undignified palaver, especially if people have dressed up for an occasion, faffing about in a small space with buckles and laces and falling over themselves., to put on some manky sweaty old slipper.

Absolutely hate the look and feel of fluffy slippers paired with smart clothing, - I’d feel like Mrs. Merton and anyway also. stockinged feet slithering about on laminate flooring is a disaster waiting to happen even for dogs.

Wet wellington boots/ sludgy dog walk stuff well you’d go round the back surely !
The tyranny of light coloured carpets…..I say bring back the busy designs of the seventies and get a really good doormat.

I used to work in the nhs in the community. I went into some very smart houses with pale carpets and sometimes vintage persian rugs on the floor. There were occasions when I was asked to remove my shoes but I had to refuse for safert readons ax I would be fitting and adjusting equipment and it would not be safe to do so in my socks or in shoe covers or slippers. We would do our best to have clean shoes but it was a rural area.

DoNotDisturb

When I worked for over 20 yrs as a Community Nurse I would ALWAYS wipe my feet very thoroughly before entering, but I would often be asked to remove shoes, even winter boots, which I hated! If I was visiting somewhere very plush, I would half-heartedly offer, especially in mucky weather,but there were many homes I went to where I would be wanting to wipe my feet on the way OUT!!!!!

As your manager (I did used to manage community nurses as part of the community team) I would have told you for safety reasons under NO circumstances to remove your shoes.

Do people really have disposable slippers for guests? I'm assuming that nobody would seriously expect others to put on worn slippers?

It seems terribly wasteful, and a bit neurotic, really. I can understand family (or other very regular visitors) leaving slippers in the house of someone who insists on no shoes, but do people hand out disposable slippers to all comers?

if people are really worried, they can put down a runner, or some sheeting.
as for changing the baby, surely you wouldn't do it on a bare floor anyway, but on a changing mat or something else than can be easily washed/wiped.

Perhaps we should have one of those little foot pool things, like you go through to get to the swimming pool.

I have never asked anyone to take off their shoes although some do just as a matter of course, which is fine with me if they prefer it.
Im not sure how it would go here in Australia as most of us dont wear socks with our shoes so we would end up walking on your carpets with naked feet. unless of course you supplied random socks

Goldieoldie15

In Australia and New Zealand ALL visitors take their shoes off as a matter of course. And leave them outside the front door. But that’s colonials for you eh.

that isnt correct.

Ive lived in Australia all my life and have rarely come across this shoes off inside idea. Not never - but rarely
Of course Australia is a multi cultural diverse country so some demographics are more likely to want this - eg asian background Australians
I wear shoes in my house ( I wear slippers too but that is more for comfort than as the only footwear for inside) and I do not ask anyone to take theirs off. They can if they want to but I dont recall anyone doing that.
If I go to anyone's house and they ask or it is obvious by a shoe rack in the hallway or suchlike - then I oblige

as to OP's question - although this isnt my house rule, I do not think it is at all rude to ask someone if they are coming into your house.
Your house, your rules.

But I would be prepared to make exceptions - if people need to wear shoes for medical reasons or find it too difficult to remove them.
and when I worked in community nursing we were not allowed to remove shoes - we had to wear enclosed shoes at all times for OHS.
I expect tradespeople would be the same.

Kartush

I have never asked anyone to take off their shoes although some do just as a matter of course, which is fine with me if they prefer it.
Im not sure how it would go here in Australia as most of us dont wear socks with our shoes so we would end up walking on your carpets with naked feet. unless of course you supplied random socks

really?

gosh I wear socks with shoes all the time - not thongs or sandals obviously, but with any boots or lace up shoes.

I do go barefoot inside in summer in my own house though.

I have to wear special shoes but I still offer to remove them. Thankfully so far noone has objected!

I never ever wear socks, so it would be barefoot for me.
I hate to go barefoot in case I tread on a spider, though.