taking your shoes off when you go to someone's house.

Luckystrike123 · 24 Jan 2017 at 20:36

You have to take your shoes off to come into my house.

I think it's extremely rude when people don't. The wife and I have recently had a baby and so have had a lot of visitors, and noticed that there is a trend that the offenders are of a similar age to my parents.

These people wouldn't wear their shoes in their own homes! So don't wear them in mine!

Rroff · 24 Jan 2017 at 20:41

jpod said:
I have studied bacteria/infection and it is very important not to wear outside shoes around your home - don't let anyone else do it either. Bringing in dirt into your home from pavements/garden is dreadful and it will cause infection.

Unless you go full on anti-bacterial handwash, wipe everything else down, UV screening at the door, etc. etc. aslong as you wipe on the mat on the way in it isn't going to make any significant difference to daily levels being transferred around anyhow - infact unless your personal hygiene is bang on you're probably doing worse with your hands despite what might instinctively seem the case:

"Studies have shown that the average smartphone is covered with more bacteria than toilet seats, kitchen counters, the bottom of shoes and pet’s food dishes, among other things"

Mrs Seabiscuit · 25 Jan 2017 at 06:09

Dave M said:
Why does no-one have guest slippers in this country? And don't get me started on the taps...

Communal slippers! That`s revolting.

Dave M said:
p.s. Your house smells.

Not a fan of dogs then Mr M!

Personally,I find it annoying when people have dogs and tell you to take off your shoes, or expect you to walk on cold tiled floors with no shoes.
I don't ask people to take shoes off if its really wet outside I hope people wipe their feet. Some people don`t though!

I was brought up to take shoes off on the doorstep (yes literally) Where Mr Seabiscuit was not.

We have laminate and tiles downstairs so it seems mean to make people have cold feet.

Cosimo · 25 Jan 2017 at 08:25

Not offended and I don't take them off unless asked so stuff you as mine are clean.

MookJong · 25 Jan 2017 at 08:36

Really surprised shoe off without question is so prevalent. Honestly growing up there were friends houses where it was a shoe off policy but most were not unless you knew your shoes could be wet or muddy.

At family events like a birthdays etc. when your grandparents were around did they take their shoes off too? Eating your Christmas dinner with the whole family shoeless? It just didn't happen. Everyone had their best shoes and clothes on!

Gammawolf · 25 Jan 2017 at 10:22

Instructions unclear, managed to eat shoes during Christmas dinner. Why are shoes required to eat? Asides from cultural reasons which are dependent on household. I do for practical reasons as you can't really guarantee the cleanliness of your shoe unless you literally stare at the floor everywhere you walk. You could step in some gob someones spit on the floor, bit of bird crap, stealthed dog poo, food, gum etc. Perhaps the person delivering mail stepped in something on his rounds and upon delivering your mail has left some on the door mat, which you/visitor then steps on when they enter the house. So in reality i'd rather just take off my shoes than deal with any cleaning exercise that may result in tracking dog **** and the likes onto carpets..

Rroff · 25 Jan 2017 at 11:01

MookJong said:
Really surprised shoe off without question is so prevalent. Honestly growing up there were friends houses where it was a shoe off policy but most were not unless you knew your shoes could be wet or muddy.

At family events like a birthdays etc. when your grandparents were around did they take their shoes off too? Eating your Christmas dinner with the whole family shoeless? It just didn't happen. Everyone had their best shoes and clothes on!

Yeah - I've asked a few friends and family as I've never even thought about it before and they are all like don't care/not a big deal or only like it to be done if someone is staying more than a couple of hours.

linktoinsanity · 25 Jan 2017 at 13:50

No would not be offended. I usually ask the home owner if they would like me to take them off.

Why would you be offended?

Kronos · 25 Jan 2017 at 15:05

tom_e said:
No.

+1 why should I?

ttaskmaster · 25 Jan 2017 at 15:17

Rroff said:
This is pretty much what I grew up with - some of the things in this thread are completely alien to me especially in terms of it being manners

I only started encountering it after decades of life and then only when someone had a swanky new carpet. Once it had been down for a bit, it was shoes as usual.

FoxEye said:
Firstly, your feet must hate you Mine can't wait to be out of their shoes. Esp horrid formal work shoes, which are just sweaty and awful.

Ahhhh.... so it's just that people cannot afford decent shoes, then?
Issue combat boots. Best things ever.

jpod said:
I have studied bacteria/infection and it is very important not to wear outside shoes around your home - don't let anyone else do it either. Bringing in dirt into your home from pavements/garden is dreadful and it will cause infection.

Are you one of those sickly people at the office who always gets the colds and coughs?
We played barefoot in the dirt and mud and filth as kids. Long as we didn't traipse huge quantities of mud through the house and into the carpets, we were good. Last time I had a day off work was from a road crash. Can't remember the last time I was ill or infected with anything. I don't even have any allergies.

jpod said:
Some people don't like taking their shoes off but tough, they tend to be the blighters that don't respect the fabric of your home and they are not civilised.

I'm not Japanese, I don't jump in puddles of animal poo and I am capable of using a vacuum cleaner. Why would I take off my shoes?
If you have some swanky fancy new rugs, then say so, but otherwise it's just weird...

Nick1881 said:
I was once at a B&B in the Isle of Skye and they had us take our shoes off at the door, that was weird.

So people want shoes off when entering *their* house, yet claim other people wanting the same is "weird"...??!!

If it really was as rude and uncivilised and disgusting and horrid as everyone is claiming - Why don't hotels, restaurants and shops have the same policy?
Why would you give me the strangest look if I wanted your shoes off before you got into my nice clean car?
Why should I assume that your home is clean enough to walk around in without shoes on in the first place... when I know from experience that many people's homes ain't as clean as they think?

Skiddley · 25 Jan 2017 at 15:18

Pet hate is when I'm taking my shoes off out of habit, and they say no need. I then notice they have shoes on in their own home....

They usually they go down a notch or two in my opinion at that point.

Steedie · 25 Jan 2017 at 15:20

I take my shoes off without thinking, always been brought up to do it. More often than not people say "You don't have to do that", but it's just the done thing to me

zophiel · 25 Jan 2017 at 15:44

Nick1881 said:
I was once at a B&B in the Isle of Skye and they had us take our shoes off at the door, that was weird. They also didn't have locks on the room doors and expected you to be out of the house in the day, it was like being a kid and staying at a mates house or something.

That how we run ours too. Shoes off at the door. The only exception is any one who is doing some manual work in the house.

Why would guests want to walk through dirt and muck brought into the house by others?

and on a selfish point why would I want to spend hours each day cleaning mud and dirt from the carpets. Especially during festival times.

Cleisthenes · 25 Jan 2017 at 15:46

I always do it unless I know the occupants have previously told me not to bother. It wouldn't offend me if someone asked though.

TonyTurbo78 · 25 Jan 2017 at 16:09

I get more offended if they tell me to put my shoes back on in their house....due to the smell

deuse · 25 Jan 2017 at 16:13

Whoop said:
Generally they don't ask, I do it automatically.

More often than not they'll say there is no need but it seems the right thing to do.

This for me.

TwsT · 25 Jan 2017 at 16:25

jpod said:
I have studied bacteria/infection and it is very important not to wear outside shoes around your home - don't let anyone else do it either. Bringing in dirt into your home from pavements/garden is dreadful and it will cause infection.

And use alcohol hand wash before eating out you filthy animals.

Try to use disposable paper cups when possible e.g. a coffee at Starbugs.

Some people don't like taking their shoes off but tough, they tend to be the blighters that don't respect the fabric of your home and they are not civilised.

lol

Bonjour · 25 Jan 2017 at 16:26

Nope. They could ask me to take my trousers off and I wouldn't be offended. A little weirded out maybe, but not offended.

Their house, their rules.

maxilive · 25 Jan 2017 at 16:40

Who wears their shoes around the house?! I always take my shoes off when visiting someones house!

The only time I wouldn't was when I had to visit peoples houses for work related purposes and their houses were ermm.. it wouldn't matter what my shoes were dragging in...

Mark A · 25 Jan 2017 at 18:14

I wouldnt at all, unless I am there to do some work with my steel toe cap boots and get asked to take them off. Yeah thats not happening...