Taking shoes off before you come inside your house

Always and I do it entering other’s homes too even if they don’t ask. I was previously married to a Chinese guy and they all remove their shoes (interestingly it’s considered offensive not to do it). I carried on with the habit and my regular visitors all take their shoes off. I don’t insist (apart from family if they forget) but I much prefer it that way.

I'm beginning to think that I live in a different world, but I wouldn't dream of expecting people to take off their shoes. I don't live in a pristine house, we live in a ordinary cosy home with pets and kids. I take my shoes off when I am ready for slippers, or if I have been in wellies.
I think I'm in a minority here, but people matter more than spotless floors. Probably down to a farm /countryside childhood, no central heating and ancient slate floors. If asked, of course, I would take my shoes off but it's not always easy with arthritis.

I have never in my life asked anyone to take off shoes before coming in to my home. I have had dogs for many years so they are the only ones to come into my home with bare feet. I do remove shoes in someone's house if they ask me too . its not a problem. but it is rare. In Scotland.

We all do since we had a person come to our house and ruined our carpet with cat pee could not get the smell out of the house. We was glad she did not turn up any more.

I have got dogs, there is no point.

Yes I always swap shoes for slippers just inside the door. All my friends and family we all do the same at each other’s houses just think it’s respectful.

I would normally take my shoes off when I come into my hall and I would expect visitors to wipe their shoes on the doormat but wouldn't expect them to take them off.

NO!

I always take my shoes off at my house. I leave slippers at my daughters/sons which are left there.

I also have those plastic overshoes at front door for workmen to put over their boots!

Most of my pals are like me and automatically slip their outdoor shoes off. Not a major issue.

We always remove our shoes in our own home even my grown up kids automatically do this when they visit . I think it is polite to remove shoes when visiting other people’s homes . Do you not like being told that you have too remove your shoes I wonder ? Ask them if you can keep a pair of slippers there if your feet get cold & if you visit often enough to warrant keeping slippers there

Have had no house visitors for so long its not an issue in my house....
Before hand most people would either kick their shoes off in my porch or hall or ask if I would like them to pop their shoes off. Even the double glazing chap offered to remove his shoes As for me I think its simply a habit I had got into and if I visited my close friends I would pop slipper socks in my bag. Now I arrive carrying a blanket and wearing a thick coat,cardigan , gloves and sturdy footwear.? My visitors here enter my garden by a side gate and stay out side, anti bac gel available to use. If they did decide to pop to the loo I wouldnt insist they took shoes off but I would ask them to use anti bac gel before going in and after they leave will clean surfaces they may have touched. Oh my how times have changed. Roll on the sunshine days of summer.. X

Peasblossom

I’d always take my shoes off. Family always take their shoes off. Most of my friends do too. But I wouldn’t ask a guest to do it if they didn’t offer.

I never did this when living in England, I started in the 70s because of fitted carpets and babies but still continue now with wooden floors and no children. I have a pile of cheap slippers I buy in the sales and I do take my own when going elsewhere.

If you come in through the back door i will allow you as far as the kitchen in shoes ( not muddy wellies) as it is a flagstone floor. Come in the front door and shoes come off in the porch. Pavements are full of dog wee/pooh, dirt and spit. Our fields are full of cow pats and sheep droppings.

I wonder if it’s a North v South thing in the U.K.?. Before I moved to the South Coast I never took shoes off when entering anyone’s house, nor was I asked but here everyone seems to do it. Not a practice I like.

We take shoes off when indoors, i like inside my house to be cleaner than the pavement! Wouldnt dream of having shoes indoors i thinkbits filthy. Anyone who visits has to take shoes off too. Same as a smoker should not smoke in s non smokers house obviously. No way i want dog wee, spit etc etc on my floors?

I always offer to take my shoes off in someone else's house.
Some like you to, others don't - no problem.

I live in Scotland and remove my shoes when entering my house. I don't ask others to do it but when I go to someones home I take them off as I think you do it in your own home it's only respectful in someone else's.

Cymres1 I don't think it's anything to do with living in the countryside or even if it's tiled or not. I grew up in a rural area (not a farm but down a lane) and had cold floors as a child too. We changed shoes long before we had fitted carpets and central heating.

We remove our shoes and leave them by the back door, I am not at all house proud and I have a dog who doesn't wear shoes. I don't ask guests to remove theirs, some do, some don't and some bring their slippers to put on

How unwelcoming and what a kerfuffle at the doorway, when everyone is untying laces, on boots and trainers. Not to mention the possibility of smelly sweaty feet on the carpet. It's totally unreasonable and disruptive. It starts off the visit with disconnection, and then the hassle of everyone gathering back at the door when they leave, balancing on one foot, etc. bending over to tie laces back up.
Oh God, my worst nightmare. And the person who has the blue elastic over thingy's, for everyone, .....I'd be absolutely insulted. That's like saying put your PPE on your feet, you are unclean and germy. Trust me, people will be talking about you behind your back!

Yes, we take our shoes off in the lobby near the front door and change into slippers or just keep our socks on. Would never tramp round the house with outdoor shoes on. We don't make visitors take their shoes off though, just hopefully they wipe their feet on the mat.

We always expect children to and most adults follow suit. As a family we take our shoes off and put slippers or indoor shoes on when we enter anyone’s house unless the family tell us not to. I used to work with a Chinese family who always did this - they even had lovely washable slippers for guests at their front door - and it seemed a very sensible idea. Why would I bring the dirt of the street onto a carpet I may want to sit on at some point or children will play on? I now have real problems with my feet if I’m not wearing correct footwear and can’t walk properly so I try to remember to take my indoor footwear with me when I’m visiting someone.
It’s a matter of hygiene and courtesy.

I wonder if people have been brainwashed by all the ads for bacteria-proofing everything in sight? Basic standards of housekeeping would ensure that floors don't have 'dog wee, spit etc' on them for very long. If, in the time between the unlikely event that people have trodden it in and the next time the floor is cleaned, anyone has licked the carpet then they might be at a minute risk of something or other, but only then if they have an immune system weakened by illness or underdeveloped because of under-exposure to bacteria or virus.

It is not realistic to see it as a hygiene issue, surely? It is a preference that some people have, as is obvious from this thread, but I can't help thinking that the talk of dog wee and so on is just to justify that preference. Dogs wee on trees or lampposts, where shoes rarely tread.

I do think that the current trend for 'anti-baccing' clothes, toys, surfaces and everything else is (a) to increase the profits of manufacturers, and (b) weakening the immune systems of those who do it. I know that's a slightly separate issue, but I wonder if there is a link.

It can be culturally expected to take your shoes off and lay them by the front door too

We wear our (clean) shoes in the house and don't mind if guests wear theirs. We've never had mud or anything untoward on the floors with this policy.

I don't mind if others want me to wear indoor shoes in their house and will willingly take and wear a pair of soft ballet flats if asked.

However, I consider it the height of rudeness to be asked to take shoes off if I have not been warned beforehand to bring soft indoor footwear. My 'visiting shoes' are always spotless underneath and are chosen to go with my outfit. The thought of walking on other people's floors with socks or tights is highly disturbing to me.

So, a plea to all. Warn people if you want to enforce a 'no shoes' rule.