Do you ask visitors to remove shoes?

Bambam

MY OH and myself can't agree on this one. I think visitors/workmen should remove shoes when they enter someone's home - I do it automatically when I go to someone's house. No-one has ever objected and in fact most of my friends and family do it without the need to ask.

This morning we had British Gas servicing our central heating and gas fire. The engineer was just packing away when I got home from work and I noticed he'd still got his great big boots on, tramping over my carpet. :eek: I wasn't happy with my OH!! Most tradesmen I've encountered wear those blue shoe covers rather than remove their shoes and I don't have a problem with this.

I just wondered how other people got round this?

tanith

I don't bother but find more and more people do ask nowadays.. its its wet outside then its only polite I guess, but I have wooden floors it doesn't bother me if people leave their shoes on the floor gets washed regularly anyway.

gingin_2

Not really, it's always the kids friends that do it without prompting, which is impressive!

When the carpet was new I was precious about it but really life is too short to stress over it. Dirt is quite easy to get off as long as you let it dry, it's food and drink that is the problem.

loobylou2

I work for BG and our engineers ARE supposed to wear blue covers on their shoes when they go into peoples homes. I'm sorry this has happened. I would advise you to contact BG and tell them about this and that you are not happy. They'll be able to log it as a complaint for you and make sure that feedback is given.

meritaten

nope - mud dries and vacuums off easily and I DO find that most workmen are really considerate these days. In fact, most of them insist on wearing shoe covers or taking boots off.

Torry_Quine

This topic comes up again and again. The two main camps are that it's rude to ask someone to remove their shoes and the other that it's rude not to take them off. You'll never get the two to agree.

For the record I'm in the it's rude to ask people to remove their shoes!

It's a very modern occurence in this part of the world.

Millie2008_2

I don't ask, but I always take my shoes off when I visit people. I do it automatically, as it was drilled into me when I was little

Bambam

loobylou2 wrote: »

I work for BG and our engineers ARE supposed to wear blue covers on their shoes when they go into peoples homes. I'm sorry this has happened. I would advise you to contact BG and tell them about this and that you are not happy. They'll be able to log it as a complaint for you and make sure that feedback is given.

Thanks Loobylou. British Gas have been servicing me satisfactorily for years (;) oops!) and they normally wear the covers. I've a feeling the OH probably said "Nah, it's OK mate, don't bother with the boots"

shellsuit

If it's rude to ask people to remove their shoes, is it not rude when they tread a load of sh!te into your carpet?

Bambam

meritaten wrote: »

nope - mud dries and vacuums off easily and I DO find that most workmen are really considerate these days. In fact, most of them insist on wearing shoe covers or taking boots off.

It's not the mud I object to; it's the possible doggy doo's they may have stepped in at some point with their shoes. With babies crawling on the floor it's not very hygienic.

Ellejmorgan

Yes for two reasons firstly my baby is 7 months and crawling so have to keep it clean for her, also I have laminate and it chips very easily..

Even asked the health visitor to take her's off, people understand though....