taking shoes off

I don't mind, mostly family do, but no one asks. My GD is quite tyrannical about where shoes should go, they have a shoe rack in the hall and woe betide anyone who removes shoes and doesn't put them on the rack. How on earth did 4 year olds get so dictatorial?

I can't bear wearing ugly shoe or slippers and my shoes are part of my outfit. Once when I was invited to a housewarming where it stated guests must remove shoes to preserve the new wooden floor I went out and bought some pretty ballet flats. I also have a pair of 'indoor shoes' that never go outside. I have the flats in my handbag and the shoes in the car and will don them to please hosts with light carpets. I would never pad round in tights.

SueDoku, I agree with you absolutely. And how sad that your dd is not allowed to take her dog.
When we had a dog I wouldn't visit anyone who objected, or said she had to stay in the kitchen, nor would I invite anyone here who objected to our lovely dog.

I think it's fine as long as you are warned in advance. Nothing more embarassing than taking winter boots off to reveal a pair of holey socks or a dodgy pedicure!

In Scandinavia they use galoshes to put over their party shoes when outside, leaving the shoes clean. In winter you would wear warm boots outside and carry nice clean party shoes in a bag to change into. I don't ask visitors to remove their shoes, but I appreciate when they do without being asked.

I can't wait to kick my shoes off and will do so at the earliest opportunity - don't need to be asked.

I would never ask people to remove their shoes but we recently moved into a top floor flat with hard floors. I know our neighbours hear us though we remove our own shoes and have a basket of new hotel slippers for people at the door...bit of a hint . One friend , when we discussed this told me in I uncertain terms we could not ever ask people to remove their shoes...even if our neighbours were complaint on about the noise. Big dilemma for us.

I've never been sure about the right thing to do here either.
Personally - I don't expect guests to remove their shoes unless they want to - I'll walk through my own home in shoes - and then kick them off somewhere and pad about bare foot. I visited a japanese neighbour who very sternly asked me to remove my shoes. I think I'll always ask at the door in future and try to remember to tell guests that I don't mind if they keep shoes on.
However, the point about small children playing on the floor is a good one.

I have been asked when viewing a house to buy and was quite offended especially as they weren't pale coloured carpets but very long pile. I have a friend who has a basket of guest slippers in all sizes and I'm happy to comply but I don't ask people to myself and if they start to take them off I usually say "Don't worry." as my carpets are old and not worth protecting!
As a diabetic I shouldn't walk around without shoes or slippers so I usually say so and make sure my shoes have been well wiped.
MIL used to make us take shoes off but no longer does - I'm not sure why.

I would rather have mud on my carpet,than somebody`s sweaty feet. Not hygenic.

Well when i was young i was taught that it was 'common' to wear slippers in public and it still goes against the grain. I think tgey ate fr going from bedroom to bathroom in your nightwear. My slippers are not fit to be seen in public and in any case are no cleaner as i sometimes go outside in them eg to the bin! My DH gets cross if i leave shoes by the door as it looks a mess so I would have to go upstairs to put shoes on everytime I left the house otherwise! How ibteresting that peopke have such different views ie 'its bad manners to not take off your shoes' v 'bad manners to ask someone to take off shoes'!

I had a boss who made us remove our shoes whenever we went round their house they were kept in the porch in a big basket all different sizes when you left they were put in the washing machine for next time.
But what about deliverys and work men? Under health and safety they are not required to remove there shoes but some have been asked to and in my husband case he has declined

I am a barefoot person in the house (& garden in the summer)too but I don't ask people to take off their shoes- we have wooden floors in hall & dining room anyway. However both my DILs insist shoes are taken off in hall so the GC do it automatically. I reciprocate in their houses- I have no objection as I prefer not to have shoes on. Unless it gets very cold & I wear socks or Birks in house then.
I can't think of any time I have been asked to remove my shoes when dining with friends.
My DIL bought me a pair of lovely UGG type slippers last year so I suspect my bare feet make her feel cold.I wear them when she is coming round- feels very odd.

I don't expect people to take off their shoes when they come to my home. If they get dressed up for dinner they do not want to wear a pair of slippers with their expensive party dress do they? What I do expect though is that they wipe their feet on the door mat which is there for their use. That goes for anyone who enters my home. If I was going out to someone else' home I would wipe my feet. I would not dream of taking pets though.

We take shoes off in the hall as soon as we come home (all the DC and DGC do this too) but would never ask visitors to do this, and as others say, if people have dressed up a bit ( for a social do) their shoes are part of an outfit.
Most of our visitors these days are family and friends, who always take shoes off or at least ask. It's 'bad form' ( old boy) to ask visitors to remove shoes.

Also, people usually arrive in a car, and our drive is brick paved ( no mud involved)

What on earth is the point of furnishing a home in a way that invites disaster? Light-coloured carpets, white furnishings - all very pretty in a catalogue, but quite impractical. Feet WILL carry dirt, tea WILL be spilled - why set things up so that it's a catastrophe?

My daughter lived in Japan for many years and the whole nation take their shoes off as a matter of course. I think it's a great idea though not so sure about my son and family. They visited last week ( they only come about once a year) and I have new carpet and sofas etc so asked them all to take shoes off, it's not just the dirt but all the catches on shoes etc as being young kids they don't exactly sit on their bottoms very much :-)

We are in-home slipper wearers, they are like shoes almost, but don't go outdoors.

That said, I was totally embarrassed one time when I left home to walk to the shops and looked down to see I still had my beige slippers on! Dashed back home to change, but actually... I don't think anyone would have noticed.

What people do themselves and with family is one thing. Unless they are very close friends asking dinner guests, who have made an effort to dress for the occasion, to take their shoes off (unless those shoes are stilletoes and will damage the floor) is just plain rude, and taking slippers when you are invited to dinner, unless you are going to see family or very close friends, I find just plain weird.

How funny that what some people see as good manners, others see as rude or peculiar.

I suppose it's one way of sorting out which new acquaintances will make the final cut, which ever side of the fence you are on this one.

I change my outdoor shoes for indoor ones, sometimes slippers, but would never ask guests as I feel the host should always make their guests feel comfortable and if they don't offer, or do so automatically, I don't ask. DH, however, can't take his shoes off easily as he is disabled, so he never does. I do remind him, if I remember, to wipe his feet on the door mat. In the end, however, people are more important than clean carpets.

I hate the thought of removing my shoes as my feet are so ugly with huge bunions, I find it really embarrassing but do so when asked. I would never ask anyone else to do so - isn't that what carpet shampoo is for?

I would be horrified if I was invited to a Dinner Party & asked to remove my shoes, I am Type 2 Diabetic so am not "allowed" to walk around barefoot (something I always used to do). If you want me to remove outdoor shoes tell be beforehand so I can bring suitable footwear.

DGS always takes his shoes off, Parents don't

My DF was a Painter & Decorator over 50 years ago, he always carried "indoor shoes" when working in a house & I find workmen now will always take shoes off at the door.

My friend has some lovely knitted slippers by her door. She has a beige carpet. I have a light coloured carpet also but, as I do not have many callers do not have the slippers.

As other people have remarked, visitors removing shoes can be cultural - my Japanese daughter in law has a rack of hotel type slippers for family and guests. I hate it shuffling around in these slippers whilst dressed up in my best outfit but respect her wishes: her house , her rules.
However I guess in snow-bound countries one would automatically want to take off heavy boots on entering a centrally heated home. Similarly, I would expect anyone arriving in mud-caked footwear to take them off without being asked. Normally i would not dream of asking guests to remove shoes as we have tiled and wooden floors with mats, and wooden stairs so they are cold to walk on and one is prone to slip in stocking feet. I have gardening shoes I kick off in the utility room but that is all.
Here in France fitted carpets are not the norm and my French friends consider them unhygienic - hard flooring can be cleaned and disinfected more regularly than cleaning carpets. i always had pale carpets when in the UK but never expected visitors to remove shoes.