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You are welcome here, be at your ease...
Get up when you're ready, go to bed when you please.
Happy to share with you such as we've got,
The leaks in the roof, the soup in the pot.
You don't have to thank us or laugh at our jokes.
Sit deep and come often,
You're one of the folks.
I've always felt that as a host, it is my job to do whatever necessary to make my guests comfortable. Not to make them feel awkward or uncomfortable or unwelcome.
And I value my relationships with my guests far, far, far more than I value my carpet.
Our house is a shoes off house. We have white/off-white carpeting, so any dirt that is tracked in shows up very easily.
We have shoes neatly lined up behind the door, and most guests know to take them off when entering (common courtesy). I do the same when I go to others houses and ask if they prefer on/off with shoes. I've only had one guest question us on taking their shoes off, and frankly I find it rude if someone refuses to when requested; you're a guest in my house, you'll abide by my houses rules if I prefer to keep dirty shoes off the rugs.
Do you realize that it's a ladies handbag that is far and away, the dirtiest accessory of all? Dirtier than any shoe that will cross your floors. Think about that the next time a female guest places her purse on one of your counters, tables, or sofa.
I guess this is something I've picked up from my Japanese wife, but it has now become a pet peeve of mine. I can't honestly understand how people walk in their house with shoes on. Next time you walk into a dirty gas station bathroom with urine and who knows what else all over the floor try to remember that as you walk into your house and then lay on the floor. It's just disgusting to me and you never know where someone has walked either...
What if your company had just gone into a porta-potty at a concert or they were walking by the "Vomit Machine" at the local state fair and accidentally stepped in something??? Yep, that's what is being tracked across your carpet and floor.
*Shudder*
We do pet rescue and regularly have 20 to 30 dogs in our house. It doesn't matter how much you mop, there is always dog hair and dirt and doggie dander on the floors. (We don't have any carpet BTW) I can't imagine walking through the house with shoes off.
That said, we all have house slippers we wear. I agree that wearing shoes that have been worn 'out and about' don't belong on in the house. And for us, there's always the concern that there may be particals of a highly contagious disease that could have been picked up outdoors and transmitted to the dogs, so we're very strict about the outdoor shoes only being for outdoors.
Jeepers, my asking folks to take shoes off at the door is like saying "my house and floors are much more important than you, a human being."
We had our mountain house listed for sale, porcelain tiles (and carpeting in some rooms) on the floor, and people would come in and THEY insisted removing their shoes, with a good half declining the booties provided. So as they walked thru the house they walked on mostly very cold, hard tiles. Not conducive to selling a house!
Now we live in a muddy, muddy area and are trying to find out how to clean our own shoes before entering the house.
Any help here, a certain foot brush, snow grate, anything at all, please??
Thank you.
Last edited by Mtn. Lady; 03-03-2012 at 09:22 AM..
Reason: Floors
My husband takes his shoes off at the door; I do not. Of course, I will if I'm going to a home that expects it, but always with a prayer that I won't offend (I have very smelly feet). Also, my feet get cold easily and I go barefoot only during the summer months. If I know in advance that I'll enter a home with the no-shoe rule, I take my flat folding slippers and hope they allow it.
I gotta admit, though ~ I can't stand the sight of piled shoes at an entry way. Even the three pairs or so of shoes my husband has beside the door drives me insane. It's something I just tolerate (somewhat) but to me it looks tackier than hell.
You can buy or make a sign that says "Please remove your shoes" . . .and have a place to remove one's shoes . . .having shoes lined up where people take them off is an additional cue . . .
Shoes indoors are gross, especially if you have carpet (which I also think is gross).
This is funny but I'm facing a bit of a dilemma..... My first visitors are coming to see me in my new place and I'm not sure if I should use the 'shoes off' or 'shoes on' rules with them. I have very light tan carpeting and white rugs in certain areas. Besides that, I LOVE to just lounge on the floor so I never walk around with shoes on. I have indoor slippers or something comfy like that to wear.
How do you (politely) enforce that rule? Should I just hold my breath during the visit and then vacuum like a mad woman after they leave? I'm always prepared to take my shoes off when I visit someones home but some people are put out by that and are kind of icked out at the thought of it. I don't want to put anyone on the spot, either.
How would you handle this?
Whatever my guests are comfortable with is fine with me. Carpet can be cleaned.
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Shoes on or very warm booties
