Do you ask people to remove their shoes in your house?

[mefordis]

I'm thinking about making shoe removal in my house my new policy. Usually people automatically do it, except my in-laws. They come over and leave their shoes on the entire time they are visiting - the grandma, dad and mom. It bugs me because who knows what they are tracking into the floor.

Am I being petty? Do you ask visitors to take off their shoes in your home?

 

[Kathi OD]

NEVER! I think that would be extremely rude and not very hostess-like. Besides, what if their feet stink REALLY bad?? That smell will linger in your house long after they are gone!

 

[mefordis]

NEVER! I think that would be extremely rude and not very hostess-like. Besides, what if their feet stink REALLY bad?? That smell will linger in your house long after they are gone!

Wow, I am glad I posted this poll! I'm anxious to see what others think. I don't want to be rude.

My mom has a sign outside her door "Please remove shoes" and I always thought that was kind of uninviting.

 

[Mike.Wazowski]

I never ask them too
I voted that I prefer them to but in a situation like over the holidays where a lot of people haven't and the floor is icky from them I completely understand NOT taking them off - and I actually put them ON.
If someone just stands in the doorway because they don't want to take their shoes off then I tell them don't worry about it just come in... but I do apreciate that they considered it.

 

[Kath2003]

Nope...but I don't take my shoes off in the house either

 

[alldiz]

Unless they just walked through mud piles....NO...
Kerri

 

[DawnCt1]

In some areas of the country, it is standard practice. The kids in our neighborhood ALL removed their shoes spontaneously. DSs do, in our house and other houses. In Hawaii, you can buy ceramic signs everywhere that say, "Please remove your Slippahs". However, I would never ask anyone.

 

[Mkrop]

I think families do things differently. My ILs put on shoes the minute they get up, slippers, and as soon as they get dressed they put on shoes and dont take them off.

My family would put on shoes bc we had to go outside,

DS5 wants shoes on as soon as he is dressed.

My GF stopped by once and said oh I'm sorry this must be a bad time, and I said no cmon in, and she said well you arent dressed, you dont have shoes on, so I went and put shoes on so she would feel more comfortable.

 

[C.Ann]

No - I don't..

Think of it in the reverse.. If you were to ask people to remove their shoes when entering your home because you don't know what kind of icky stuff they have walked through, they might be wondering what kind of icky stuff they might be walking on in their stocking feet in your home.. You know - kind of like that thing where people won't walk barefoot or in their stocking feet in a hotel room..

 

[Liberty Belle]

I don't and wouldn't. It seems rude to me. We have hard wood floors and it's easy clean up if they track something (which never happens, they always use the mat first to wipe/brush off their shoes).

If you decided to do this, I'd at least buy a bunch of cheap slippers for them to wear if they don't want to walk barefoot or in their stocking feet.

 

[shortbun]

I'm thinking about making shoe removal in my house my new policy. Usually people automatically do it, except my in-laws. They come over and leave their shoes on the entire time they are visiting - the grandma, dad and mom. It bugs me because who knows what they are tracking into the floor.

Am I being petty? Do you ask visitors to take off their shoes in your home?

I would never do this. Yep, petty. Love ya though!!

 

[nuke]

Nope. I think it's incredibly rude to favor a carpet over human beings.

 

[aprilgail2]

No way! I think it is SO rude to make people take off their shoes. I would not go to anyones home that had that "policy"!

 

[bicker]

I'm thinking about making shoe removal in my house my new policy. Usually people automatically do it, except my in-laws. They come over and leave their shoes on the entire time they are visiting - the grandma, dad and mom. It bugs me because who knows what they are tracking into the floor. Am I being petty? Do you ask visitors to take off their shoes in your home?

We do as well. It is part of our expectations that our guests conduct themselves in our home as we do, i.e., making themselves at home, and participating in these reasonable measures to keep the floors safe from scratches and gouges.

 

[Camicar]

On 2 other mbs I have frequented, this has been a hot topic. Breakdown:

-In some parts of North America and in some cultures, it is the norm to remove one's shoes upon entering a home.
-Some people will remove their shoes automatically bec that is what they do at home.
-Some people don't care one way or the other.
-Some people will act as though you've just asked them to donate a kidney with a spoon.

Whatever you do, you cannot please everyone. So, do what you think is best.

 

[NHdisneylover]

MOST people take their shoes off at the door anyway (we have a mud room as you eneter and tons of our shoes are there and most people go right along with that). But, I do feel it is very rude to ask someone to remove his/her shoes (exception is kids who are here playing with my kids and have been outside in the mud, etc and may not be old enough to really stop and think to clean their feet, etc. I will ask them to remove their shoes before going upstairs). Another exception would be if the host is from an eastern culture in which this is the norm. Some people just aren't comfortable being in stocking feet (and my floors are COLD anyway). I do have one acquantance who always brings clean indoor shoes with him when visiting anywhere (in NH the out of doors is often messy with snow, mud, etc) and switches at the door. I think that is very considerate of him.

 

[lilyv]

We never wear shoes in the house, this one act makes a huge difference in cleanliness of our floors and carpets.

I would never, ever, ask a guest to remove their shoes.

 

[disney4us2002]

I like shoes and wear shoes almost all the time. If not shoes, then slippers. I don't care to be barefooted. My hubby almost never wears shoes and keeps his by the door which I am forever tripping on. It drives me crazy. He is always nagging the boys to take off their shoes but he knows not to say anything to me. There you go; we have a mixed household. I would never ask a visitor to remove shoes at the door nor would I feel comfortable at someone else's home removing my own.

 

[ajk912]

I don't think it is rude to ask a guest to take off their shoes- it's still your house, and the guests can expect they do have to follow the family rules, to an extent. I don't make anyone take off their shoes in my house, but then again I live in VA and we don't have the muddy, slushy weather that up notherners do. I know at my parents house in Ohio the weather is a MESS, and yeah, you do track all that stuff inside if you wear your shoes past the front door.

 

[MareQ]

I would never tell or expect a guest to remove their shoes. My MIL wants people to remove their shoes as she has an off white carpet. I don't remove my shoes because I have VERY flat feet and my feet will start hurting badly after a very short time if I am not wearing supportive shoes. I wipe my feet VERY well when I enter their house. (They are fine with it as they know how much my feet can hurt)

If I was a guest in somebody's house and I was asked to remove my shoes for any reason other than cultural - I'd be a bit annoyed.