Please can you take your shoes off

jackieb

coolcait wrote: »

I feel your pain, sister! I feel it.....

:rotfl::rotfl:

Believe me, if you ever smelt one of the lads socks you'd never want them shoeless in your house. :rotfl:

I'm not the only one who thinks that some sweaty socks smell like Rich Tea's, am I ?

Fredula

I don't see the problem with asking people to take their shoes off.

I look at it like this, it would be like me going round someones house and putting my feet all over their sofa. They wouldn't like that, would they? Or sitting on the arm of their sofa. You just wouldn't, would you. It's rude. Carpets, like sofa's, are expensive.

Craftyscholar

Aytoun27 wrote: »

How times change! I can remember when it would have been considered the height of bad manners to take your shoes off, walk around barefoot or in socks, or bring slippers if you were a guest in someone's home. I have to say that I wouldn't be happy with anyone who kicked their shoes off the moment they came into my house, especially if they didn't bother to ask if it was okay first.

Torry_Quine wrote: »

I was sure I wrote a reply but it's gone. :mad:

When did this taking off your shoes come in and also is it more prevalent in certain parts otf the country?

I can only remember ever being asked once to remove my shoes and felt very awkward and uncomfortable not least because I ended up sitting on the floor to take them off. It would never have occurred to me to ask someone to take off their shoes, if the carpet gets dirty then it will clean.

I do wear slippers at home but wait until I'm properly in before changing as I'm not about to sit in the hallway.

TITEASCRAMP wrote: »

I'm not sure what you mean by when did this come in. I was born in the seventies, but I would feel the same if I was 20or 60. I live in the north west on England, but again would feel the same where ever I lived.
In post 69 I tried to explain the reasoning behind why I take them off.

Thank you, Aytoun, I was beginning to feel like an alien. It's a relief to know I am not the only one who sees this as a change from the past.
I think a number of 'older' posters are asking "when did this come in" because it has not always been the norm in Britain as it is in other parts of the world, even if some people did do it.
I am sure that my mother and ladies of her generation would have felt very uncomfortable, having dressed smartly to go and visit someone, if she was then expected to sit with her bare feet on show.
I do not get the comparison between carpets and sofas - of course I would not put my feet on your sofa - sofas/chairs are for sitting on - floors are for walking on.

Craftyscholar

This thread has sent me off on a trip down memory lane.

Slippers were 'bedroom slippers' to be worn on bare feet - first thing in the morning - last thing at night.

You might wear them around the house for comfort, but if you were inviting guests into your home not only would you not dream of asking them to sit in their stocking-soles, but you would put shoes on so you were also 'properly' dressed.

So, yes, it is reasonable to ask when things changed.

BugglyB

I really prefer to have my shoes off at every occasion. I hate wearing shoes inside. It hadn't occured to me that when people say 'oh you dont have to take your shoes off' when I go to their house that it might make them uncomfortable to have my socks on their floors. I do have very clean and fragrant feet though! I shall be more sensitive to this in future!

VitaK

There is nothing worse than small stones, mud and water on the floor. We walk around in socks and these things just dosent mix very well.

FatVonD

jackieb wrote: »

What would someone do if they asked a guest to remove their shoes and that person had really honking feet? Would they ask them to put their shoes back on again. I remember one time my auntie slipped her shoes off in the back of the car and I thought I smelt a gas leak! :eek:

I had a lodger once that had feet that smelt like rotting bananas, I used to spray his shoes with deodorant when he wasn't looking!

Nicki

I'm sorry but I do think it is rude to ask guests to remove their shoes, and I don't think any of the arguments some people have put forward hold any water. If you are completely paranoid about keeping your carpets spotless, it takes 5 minutes after your guests have left to run around with the vaccuum cleaner, or if there has been a speck of mud, to squirt with carpet cleaner and to wipe it away. Most people though, if there is a mat inside the front door, will wipe their feet before they come in, and remove their shoes if they are actually wet or muddy. Asking people to remove their shoes in case they get your carpet dirty, is no different to refusing to offer them a cup of tea in case you have to wash the cup (and horrors they might spill some on the carpet!) or refusing to allow them to use your toilet, which has much more potential for unhygienic stains which need to be cleaned away

When friends visit me, they are welcome to keep their shoes on or take them off whichever makes them more comfortable, as that is what being a welcoming host is all about. But I do not live in a mosque and so there is no demand that they enter bare footed.

When I visit others, if I am asked I will remove my shoes of course, but in that case, I wouldn't expect them to grouse about the fact that I may well be in bare feet in the summer (as I usually don't wear socks or tights when the weather is good), or worse still to complain about smelly feet if I was wearing socks (though I don't think my feet smell!). And I am in the camp of feeling very uncomfortable with the idea of wearing someone else's slippers or socks, to the extent that I think I would have to politely refuse and suggest we relocate to a local coffee shop or my own house, if I was asked to do this.

JodyBPM

I'm a shoes on person. I quite frequently don't wear socks, and when people ask me to take my shoes off, I always end up with freezing cold feet. I would take shoes off if asked though, without making a fuss. I do find it a bit rude/strange when people ask - I feel half dressed without my shoes on, cold feet and feeling uncomfortable. I generally wear shoes in the house all day at home, although I would take them off and put a dry pair on if they were particularly muddy. Despite everyone wearing shoes in my house the floors are still clean - downstairs is laminate/tiled, mopped daily, and upstairs is carpet, cleaned weekly. Surely if you regularly clean your floors (which are designed for walking on anyway) there is no need to make guests feel uncomfortable by asking them to take their shoes off?

VitaK

We got wood effect lino and a stone undernearth a shoe can cause damage.