Visitors, shoes on or off?

I would never dream of asking a visitor to remove their shoes. Carpets and floors can be cleaned.

Shoes on here. Visitors just have to accept they'll get dog hair on their shoes.

I expect anybody coming in to take off their shoes. My carpet throughout the house is very light grey and I can’t imagine how anyone could set foot on it in outdoor footwear.
I spend the summer barefooted and winter in slippers.

eddiecat I have a pair of crocs that I slip on when I go outside to hang out the washing, get the wheelie bin etc...

Always take slippers or just ask if I should take shoes off.

AskAlice I have noticed workers take their shoes off too now or bring a pair of indoor shoes without even asking. Since the dreaded above mentioned Mother in Law from hell incident I haven't had to ask anyone to take their outdoor shoes off they all do automatically.

What about your own shoes? I never ask anyone to take their shoes off and I certainly don't change my own shoes whenever I go outside eg to hang the washing out or feed the birds

eazybee

I wouldn't dream of asking people to remove their shoes, particularly work people who are busy doing a job
If carpets are so precious, cover them with another floor covering.

I don’t ask people to remove their shoes, but we do cover floors if workmen are coming. what we do.
Although the kitchen fitter, the plumber, the decorator and the gas man brought their own dust sheets.

I usually take a pair of indoor slip-ons when I go to family/friends for a get-together. I have a "fancy" pair for parties and a plain pair for other visits. All the GC take off their shoes automatically, even the 2 year old! I'm not too precious about it (I have a Vax carpet cleaner that I use regularly and my carpets are pretty bog-standard mid range pricewise) unless it's really wet and muddy outside, when all my visitors/family take their shoes/boots off without being asked.

I have noticed that all the workers we have had in the house over the last few years also take their shoes off automatically.

Ahhh - no edit button 😫

My little grandchildren always take their shoe, but their parents don’t 😂

I am the opposite of you Aveline. I think it's rude to keep shoes on in someone's house. Carpets are expensive and English streets are covered in dog dirt. I always take my shoes off and don't think it's offensive to ask or be asked. My horrible thankfully deceased Mother in Law refused to take her shoes off claiming it to be rude to be asked (laughable from the rudest person who ever lived) and walked oil into cream carpets on the first day in our new house. I wanted to cry and never forgave her.

I wouldn't dream of asking people to remove their shoes, particularly work people who are busy doing a job
If carpets are so precious, cover them with another floor covering.

We take shoes off unasked - so do our friends it seems.
Not workmen or carers.
I notice one carer has a pair of "indoor" shoes she brings in in a bag.
Mostly they don't.

In her hall she kept a row of what my husband described as “pixie boots” in every size and she made every visitor wear them

Well personally, I wouldn’t fancy donning footwear that numerous other folk had been wearing.

I don’t think I would bother visiting her again either.

silverlining48

I found it strange at first when visiting friends and family in Europe, where they usually provide a basket with slippers in. We automatically remove our shoes now. Most people take theirs off if they visit us without being asked.
Shoes can still be dirty even if they don’t look it, with dog or cat poo or wee on pavements everywhere so don’t need to be caked in mud.
If someone does come in my house with shoes on I have to try not to look annoyed, but it is irritating. Carpet newish but is supposed to see us out.

My husband used to have a customer who I believe was Persian. Her house was carpeted throughout with WHITE carpets. All the walls were white too as well as most of the soft furnishings.

In her hall she kept a row of what my husband described as “pixie boots” in every size and she made every visitor wear them.

Doodledog

Don't worry, Franski. This subject comes up often, and threads can get quite heated.

As regards upstairs, I think that's different. The only people who go upstairs are likely to be overnight guests, so aren't likely to come in from outside and go straight up.

I can’t imagine heated over shoes on /off but maybe I’ll go get the popcorn just in case.🤭

Greenfinch

We would never ask visitors to remove their shoes. We have never gone in for expensive carpets but have always chosen hardy ones that can be easily cleaned. Our grandchildren always leave their shoes at the door because they have been brought up to do so but that is their choice not ours.

Same Greenfinch but the grandchildren and my son take theirs off unasked too.

If casual visitors come to the house in wet muddy shoes then I may ask them to remove them, but not anyone dressed up for a party.

Don't worry, Franski. This subject comes up often, and threads can get quite heated.

As regards upstairs, I think that's different. The only people who go upstairs are likely to be overnight guests, so aren't likely to come in from outside and go straight up.

Calendargirl

If I were going to a dinner party and thought I would have to remove my shoes, I would take a pair of slippers or slipper socks with me.

My feet would be freezing otherwise.

If the hosts are fussy about their carpets, perhaps it should be mentioned on the invite?

And if wearing a lovely dress, who wants slippers on?

Aveline

I wouldn't dream of asking visitors to remove their shoes on arrival. We also have 'expensive Persian rugs' but also have vacuum cleaners. How rude to expect partygoers to stand around shoeless. I'd have left.

I agree and am agape that anyone would oblige.I would have said, sorry but my shoes are clean and I need to keep them on.

I’ve never had anyone come to my house and not offer to take their shoes off, it seems to be the done thing now Xx

If I were going to a dinner party and thought I would have to remove my shoes, I would take a pair of slippers or slipper socks with me.

My feet would be freezing otherwise.

If the hosts are fussy about their carpets, perhaps it should be mentioned on the invite?

Cool.and wet just means feet were cold when shoes came off (not in the heatwave). Yes -there has been a thread before...i should look as I probably asked others then....or maybe even started the thread!! Sorry.....its obvs still buzzing round my mind.
Thanks for comments though x