Removing shoes before entering your home?

[onelilspark]

I do in the wintertime. Around here there's just entirely too much stuff that gets tracked in. Same if it's raining outside in the summertime. But if it's a nice day and I have someone coming in, I don't care. Basically I'll ask just so that mud & salt don't get tracked through.

 

[Disney Doll]

I don't ask people to. I tend to wear some kind of shoe. slipper or flip flop in the house...I don't like beinig barefoot.

Often, especially if it's a messy day outside, people will just automatically do it.

I have hardwood and some braided area rugs, so pretty easy care. The vacuum and a mop take care of pretty much all of it.

 

[npmommie]

Yes I ask, and I will be the first to admit, not only do I hate mud and dirt being tracked in, the idea of all the germies on the bottoms of the shoes makes me squeamish. you don't know what you step in outside, I don't want that in my house.
our rule is no shoes in the house.

 

[npmommie]

I was watching a recent documentary where an American crime scene cleaner asked the interviewer, from the UK, to remove his shoes when entering his home. He did as he was asked, but I've never encountered or heard of anyone, especially strangers, being asked to remove their shoes before.

there was a story on Forensic Files the other night, the crime scene investigators were asked to remove their shoes before they entered the home of the deceased, well it turns out there was an area on the bedroom rug that was still wet from being recently cleaned, they said they never would have noticed if they had their shoes on. turns out it was blood that was cleaned up and it turned out the wife killed the husband in the bedroom.

 

[murcor]

wow...strange thread but interesting!

I have never even thought about leaving shoes on when you come into a house, your own or others. Ive never had to ask anybody to take their shoes off in my house as it is customary to just remove them

Maybe it is the climate here, but in the summer if you didnt want to be barefoot in someones house you wear socks there

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Yes I ask, and I will be the first to admit, not only do I hate mud and dirt being tracked in, the idea of all the germies on the bottoms of the shoes makes me squeamish. you don't know what you step in outside, I don't want that in my house.
our rule is no shoes in the house.

I don't ask adults, but I too get grossed out thinking about the germs, specifically from the floors of public restrooms.

 

[bumbershoot]

Hubby was raised by a Korean mom, and with him it's ALWAYS shoes off. I don't remember how I was raised, but I often like to wear shoes, depending on how I feel that day (I know, it's odd).

But usually we all have shoes off in our house. Hubby will take his shoes off at most other homes, even when others have their shoes on.

We don't generally ask people to take theirs off, but they usually do, especially if they were first friends with hubby.

And ultimately, in our area, it's a good idea. Our area isn't quite in the problem zone, but most of Tacoma and surrounding areas were in the "plume" from an old smokestack that put out all sorts of heavy metals, and the Health Dept always has things out urging people to NOT track that stuff in from their yards and so on.


But I don't care about germs, not at all.

 

[friendofgusgus]

I take my shoes off at home, but that's mostly because I just hate to wear shoes - my feet are much happier naked!

Having said that, I do not like to be asked to remove my shoes at someone else's home. Floors are floors. They are meant to be walked on - and so are carpets/rugs. If your rug is so fabulous that it should never be walked on, then treat it as a tapestry and hang it on the wall where it can be admired as an art piece.

 

[pixiegoose]

We always take our shoes off when we walk in, as we are in a rented apartment (where we would be charged for damaged/stained carpets) with extremely light-colored carpets. We don't really ask people to take off their shoes, they just do when they see our pile in the entry. If people didn't take them off themselves, I would probably ask them to, as it's hard enough keeping these carpets clean without having people track who knows what in on their shoes. If we were in our own place or a place with much darker carpets, I probably wouldn't care as much.

 

[Navy]

I don't mind people wearing shoes in my home. I have a mat on the outside and the inside of my door so people may wipe their feet off.

 

[Pakey]

When we lived in the country, I asked everyone to remove their shoes before entering our home. Now that we live in the city and have tile floors throughout, I do not ask my guests but we do not wear our shoes in the house.

 

[PaulaSue]

I don't, that would be rude but we do in the garage before we walk in the house.

 

[C.Ann]

This is always a hot topic on the DIS - just so you can be prepared..

I do not ask people to take their shoes off when they enter my home - nor does DD in her home.. Personally I find it rude to ask people to do so.. I think most people do consider the homeowner - if they have just walked through a pile of mud - and will automatically remove their shoes (if they're comfortable doing so) without being asked.. That's where "common sense" comes into play.. But if it's just a matter of having shoes on - that are not dripping wet or caked with mud - I see no reason for any guest to have to remove their shoes..

When building or purchasing a home, part of the process should be considering that your floors will be walked on - by people wearing shoes - and your decisions should be based on that.. Choose something that is easy to clean and maintain - not white carpeting that begins at the door..

I want my guests to feel comfortable in my home.. My mother has severe foot problems - has to wear arch supports at all times - and for her it would be painful to walk around without her shoes on.. Other foot problems can cause issues as well - not to mention the poor guest who suffers from horrible, uncontrollable foot odor.. Can you imagine how embarrassed they would be to have to take their shoes off in someone elses home???? Nope - I would never do that to anyone..

As for myself, when I go to someones home, I usually "ask" about it(especially if I see a pile of shoes near the door), but if someone tells me that I "must" remove my shoes, I leave - and I don't go back.. While they may be concerned about the "dirt" on my shoes, I don't care to walk around in my white socks on floors that may (or may not) be covered with animal hair; baby spit-up; dog drool; sticky Kool-aid spills or whatever.. So I guess the "ickiness" factor goes both ways.. LOL

 

[Chicago526]

I wear shoes in my home, DH doesn't. We don't care what our guests do, whatever they are comfortable with.

When going to other peoples homes I usually take my queue from them, if everyone in the house is bare-foot, off my shoes go! And of course I'll remove them if muddy, wet, whatever.

 

[jrmasm]

We don't care what our guests do, whatever they are comfortable with.

That's exactly how a good host/hostess feels.

 

[drag n' fly]

I never ask them to but always expect them to

 

[KellyMae]

Wow. I didn't even know people didn't take off their footwear at other peoples home. Grew up that every where we went the shoes came off. Even now that seems to be the case. I live in a rural Nova Scotia area, but even when living in the city it was no shoes inside.

At home I wear a pair of crocs as my slippers and when I'm going to visit others I take a pair with me for that.

I can't help but think that wearing outdoor shoes inside the floors would be dirty.

 

[drag n' fly]

wow...strange thread but interesting!

I have never even thought about leaving shoes on when you come into a house, your own or others. Ive never had to ask anybody to take their shoes off in my house as it is customary to just remove them

Maybe it is the climate here, but in the summer if you didnt want to be barefoot in someones house you wear socks there

This is what I am thinking. It is just considered good manners here to remove your shoes. I think the consistent climate change has a lot to do with it !

 

[drag n' fly]

Wow. I didn't even know people didn't take off their footwear at other peoples home. Grew up that every where we went the shoes came off. Even now that seems to be the case. I live in a rural Nova Scotia area, but even when living in the city it was no shoes inside.

At home I wear a pair of crocs as my slippers and when I'm going to visit others I take a pair with me for that.

I can't help but think that wearing outdoor shoes inside the floors would be dirty.

ITA

 

[Angelhalo]

I take my shoes off at home, but that's mostly because I just hate to wear shoes - my feet are much happier naked!

Having said that, I do not like to be asked to remove my shoes at someone else's home. Floors are floors. They are meant to be walked on - and so are carpets/rugs. If your rug is so fabulous that it should never be walked on, then treat it as a tapestry and hang it on the wall where it can be admired as an art piece.

Ok we are sharing a brain apparently! LOL! Thats why I own a carpert steamer. Walk all you want in my house. I mean the OBVIOUS thing to do if your shoes are covered in mud would be to take them off. I have never had to ask anyone in that situation. Otherwise do a hoedown in here with your shoes on for all I care. I vaccuum and steam clean once a week anyway. My carpets look faboosh!