Shoes off

When I was growing up, it was never a thing to remove shoes. Since living overseas for several years, where it's customary to do so, I've now got into the habit of taking off my shoes whenever I visit someone's home. Sometimes, the host will say not to worry about removing them, but otherwise I always ask.

Our flooring is all wooden or tiled so I really don't mind people keeping their shoes on in my house if they wish to do so as it's easily cleaned. However, my daughter, who lives in the UK, always insists on no shoes in her house, which is fully carpeted, so I understand why, and we always take our slippers when visiting.

When we relocate back to the UK, our new home already has new light coloured, plain carpeting throughout (vendors choice!). I will definitely not be wearing my outdoor shoes indoors, and I will change into slippers/flip flops (in the summer!). I would hope that visitors would remove their outdoor shoes, not for hygiene reasons, but purely to protect my lovely light carpets from dirty stains. If I visited someone's home and left a dirty stain on their carpet I'd be mortified!

However, if we had a dinner party, I don't think I could bring myself to ask our guests to remove their shoes. I would hope they'd have the courtesy to wear relatively clean shoes, and wipe them well before entering! Or, I'd send everyone a funny message telling them to bring their slippers if they want to feel comfy, and hope they get the hint!

Shoes off for me, but never for anyone who has mobility issues. They would have to be covered in mud to do that and the ore son the selves wouldn't want it bought in, of course there would be a chair provided. My son doesn't remove shoes, says they are clean, but he doesn't wear them in his own house, it's not worth worrying about really.

I wouldn’t dream of asking anyone to remove their shoes in my house. My guests’ comfort is far more important than my flooring!

Think it’s rare for anyone to ask a guest to remove their shoes inlsss they are covered in mud, think what’s being said it is now generally the norm when visiting someone.
I would have no problem if some one (even Older than me) with balance problems etc keeping shoes on but as I said before, I can’t actually remember the last time I wore outdoor shoes in anyone’s house.

I used to go to a lot of parties in the country and London - all sorts of people, all sorts of flooring. On wet and muddy country days we all wore boots and changed into shoes, or wiped our feet very carefully. On no days in London did we change shoes unless we wanted to (flats for killer heels - if no wooden floors!) I wouldn't object to taking shoes off, but I'd want to know in advance so I brought my own ballet flats and didn't have to wear anyone else's (eg bare feet in summer = chance of verrucas or other diseases) or disposables (environment and slippery floors). I now live in a country town and still no one takes slippers/asks for shoes off. I do have Moslem friends and they haven't on visiting me but they have invited me elsewhere than their home so wouldn't know. My husband is so handicapped by pain and age he would refuse an invitation rather than go through the effort of taking his shoes off and putting them back on again.

maddyone

My family all take their shoes off when they visit and we do likewise when we visit them. I always take my slippers with me when visiting someone else’s house.
And like whiff I always use a coaster both at home and when visiting and I expect others to do so when visiting me.

And what if they don’t want to remove their shoes do you then ask them to leave.

We have never asked anyone who has come to our house to remove their shoes, and we have never been asked to remove ours. People always wipe their shoes on the doormat before coming into the house and that’s enough for us . It strikes me as very odd to wander around someone else’s house in your slippers.

Do people differentiate between 'visiting' as in staying overnight, and 'visiting' as in coming in for coffee?

To me there is a huge difference - I may well take slippers when staying overnight, but won't have them about my person otherwise.