taking shoes off

I live in Sweden, and its a rule here, take shoes off as soon as entering, took a bit of getting used to, but its practical, especially when its Winter and snowing.However I always laugh to myself when going to anyones house and people are dressed nicely but with no shoes on, feels a bit odd, I usually take other shoes with me to change, as I hate going round in stocking feet. Nobody can look "elegant" in stocking feet!

I would totally trust my friends and if they had dirty shoes they would automatically take them off but maybe my house isn't as white as some here, I purposely bought hardwearing (not dirt showing ) carpets because I had teenagers and their friends, a dog and two cats when I had the house carpeted so went for practicality over light colours

I think a no shoes rule in the house is sensible.unless your guests walked there on their hands. Why trek anything dirty into a home space?

It is just respect for someone else's space.

We have a slipper and shoe rack in the hall. We change when we come into the house, and guests are welcome to help themselves to a pair of slippers if they would like to.

We've always taken off our shoes, in my case because they often hurt! Our family have a definite no shoes in the house rule so the grandchildren do it automatically. If visitors offer I usually say not to, but often they will anyway. When visiting others I always offer, then go with their wishes, it's their home so I fit in. Staying with others I always take slippers, more comfortable for me than bare feet or slidy tights on hard floors.

Well I only have Family here, and they take off their shoes, I don't invite anyone else, can't abide People in my home. If a workman has to come n, some take off their shoes without being asked, obviously they may have to leave them on for safety reasons, but they should have disposable overshoe things with them if they are going into People's homes.

Never- it is very rude.
I assume that if they have been walking in muddy lanes they would take them off, but it is silly if they have dressed up for a dinner party.
I have one friend who expects you to remove them. I don't mind but woukd refuse to wear someone else's slippers- that is dire!

I've been chuckling about the image of farms on this thread. Obviously if you've been working in a muddy area wearing the appropriate footwear you change into slippers or whatever when you go indoors. Surprisingly enough we have paths and concreted areas that are clean just like anywhere else. If somebody parks their car and walks to our door their shoes won't be any more dirty than if we lived in the middle of a town.

We never ask people to remove their shoes but then we don't have any carpets.

As others have said, taking shoes off at the door seems to be the norm now. My Canadian family always have done, probably due to the hypothetical snow on their boots? When DS was living in Thailand we even had to take shoes off at the entrance to shops, it was considered polite to do so.
I would never ask anyone to take their shoes off, but am pleased when they do. Similarly I always take mine off when visiting and have some unglamorous sock slippers to wear instead if it is a long visit. I get cold feet too!

There are arguments on both sides www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2016/09/22/let-them-eat-dirt.

Then there is the question of pets in the house. I would rather take the risks suggested because we wear shoes in the house than the risks from having dogs and cats in the house. Do they have their feet washed thoroughly every time they go in and out of the house?

Once, many years ago when I was still teaching, we took the children to a hotel on the coast and the owners asked us to remove our shoes. I did, but I was very irritated at being asked. It was a hotel, for goodness sake! A hotel owner should never ask paying guests to remove their shoes! OK, their carpets were fine ones, but they should have incorporated wear and tear of carpets into the price and replaced them as necessary.

Nothing to do with carpets per se it's more to do with hygiene

Why you shouldn't wear outdoor shoes in the house

We don't wear shoes in our house and neither do our children. We have one close friend who always takes his boots off if he visits us on the way home from work, but it would never occur to me to ask visitors to take their shoes off.

Some people obviously care more for their carpets than their guests LOL

I would not ask anyone to take their shoes off and would also refuse to take mine off ! If it was a problem for the host then I would leave .

The OP spoke of going to a dinner party as did I in my post.
I assume that most people would walk out of the house into the car, park outside the venue, walk into the house. No muddy farms to walk through, no dirt. I really cannot imagine in those circumstance a dozen people being expected to take their shoes off and sit down for dinner in stocking feet.The men I know would not be happy at all.I don't think a second invitation would be accepted but then I don't suppose it would be offered.

I do understand it in muddy rural areas, or on farms when people have been tramping around among cow/sheep/horse poo, but when it's a house on an ordinary street, and it's not even wet, let alone muddy, I do think it's way OTT.

I'd be more worried about red wine .....

A carpet hasn't been christened until it has a glass of red wine spilt on it.
Or a Baileys

Bet you wouldn't be so fussy if you needed one of the emergency services in a hurry Shanma!

So, if you have a party, with say 20 guests, do they all have to take off their shoes?

Always shoes off in my house, non negotiable

The man who sold me our new carpet said that dry dirt vacuums up easily, if the DGD bring in any mud, let it dry before trying to vacuum or clean it.

Perhaps they'd allow you to turn up in wellies, take them off and don your party shoes (after they've passed inspection, of course...)

Imagine the invite.

Dinner at 8pm. Slippers only please!

MyDDiL comes from an Asian family. It is standard practice in their homes to remove your shoes. My DGDs do this without any prompting when entering any house. We have adopted this too. I must say the carpets look much cleaner and I feel it has been an excellent change for us.