Isn't it rude to ask people to take their SHOES off?

when you enter their house?


I have a baby and I never ask people to do this. People wipe their feet at the door instinctually and nothing has ever happened to my daughter from people walking around in their shoes.





I hate it when people ask to take our shoes off when they invite you for a party. Especially when I am not wearing a dress with no socks. I look ridiculous walking around with a dress and no shoes!





How about when you want to wear jeans and with heels or boots and then have to take it off, the jeans then drag on the floor!





I've been asked to take shoes off in a home with hard wood floors and has frozen feet all night!





I just think it's ridiculous, people shouldn't ask guests to take your shoes off. I'd rather not be invited!





What do you think?

Isn't it rude to ask people to take their SHOES off?
I don't think it's rude at all. It's their house. Some people are highly allergic to the things that can be tracked in from people's shoes; other people are just plain OCD (like me) and don't want their floors dirty or scuffed. What WOULD be rude is to keep your shoes on or to question their reasons for asking you to take your shoes off.





In Japan, NOT taking off your shoes is a huge disrespect. People take off their shoes before even crossing over the threshold of the home, to keep it "pure." (I know, I know - this isn't Japan)





And if you look ridiculous, so does every other woman there with a dress and no socks, so don't sweat it.
Reply:Well You would not want to come to my house ! I always have ppl take there shoes off . I dont find it rude, it's My home an there for MY rules !! I dont even let my Hubby wear his shoes around my house ! Now i do have 2 friends who wont take there shoes off , so I bring them Slippers to use when they come over.
Reply:In the cultural aspect: No, I think it is very rude for people to enter a home without taking their shoes off. I was brought up to always remove my shoes as a sign of respect for the hosts. I always bring socks or "footies" for this very matter.





I never allow anyone into my home without taking off their shoes. I enjoy laying on my floor and don't even want to think about what people step on when they have their shoes on. Shoes are meant for the outside- they are meant to protect your feet from rain, mud, dirt, gravel, etc., and I certainly do not want that in my house. I live in Seattle so rain and mud are very popular.





Also, think about it: at one point or another we will have to use public restrooms! Do you really want to drag the same shoes through to your home?!





I also understand this is a cultural thing. One house may not care, but for my friends and family, it's a MUST.
Reply:Yes, it is very rude. They are guests. We tend to forget that guests should be treated like guests. It's a host's responsibility to make the guest feel welcome, not make the guest conform to the host's policy.





However, it is also rude for a guest to not take off their shoes if that is the policy of the house. But sometimes people don't notice things or just forget. You shouldn't point it out to them and make them feel like idiots.
Reply:It's definetely rude, you don't ask your guests to do that, you should provide the right mat for them to rub their feet on before entering your home, but to have them walking around with their feet exposed is in very poor taste and lacks finesse.
Reply:I don't think it is rude at all. I always take my shoes off in anyone elses house. I have a rule in my house that everyone has to take off their shoes before they are allowed to come in the house. My kids and I leave our shoes on the front porch. Whenever my kids have friends come over they will usually just take off their shoes. If they do not my kids will tell them "hey you have to take your shoes off its my moms rule." My friends that visit often know about the rule and take their shoes off without any discussion. For first time visitors I let them know before they visit I will just say "Feel free to bring slippers if you want, or you can just walk around in your socks because we do not wear shoes inside." I also have a sign on my front door that tells guests to take their shoes off. No one has ever come inside my house wearing shoes and the house stays so much cleaner. I have never had anyone refuse to take their shoes off in fact no one has ever complained.
Reply:I don't remember inviting you to my house....lol





I ask people to take off their shoes but I would not insist on it. Regular guests have slippers or socks in one of the drawers in our foyer.





I know what you mean though about being caught bare footed etc.; in which case I would not remove my shoes.





Many years ago we invited a couple to dinner and she wore a very high spiked heel. These spikes dented our carpet %26amp; hardwood floors causing permanent damage.
Reply:I don't think it is rude at all
Reply:This is a really good question...fully loaded....I can understand both sides, as a guest it ruins the look of your outfit, it's uncomfortable because your feet get cold and as a party host I also can understand, there are germs %26amp; bacteria tracked in and also dirt and dust. If the party host has those throw away booties( blue and very gross looking) that would be the courteous think to pass out to wear. How about the germs you are picking up from her floor....next time be prepared with your own throw away booties or if you're at the door and the host tells you to take off your shoes, say no, I don't do that, I'll have to leave, but thank you for the invitation, this is no more rude than the host asking you to take off your shoes and worse yet not supplying throw away booties. It's a two way street, host doesn't want germs but neither do you....
Reply:I understand that you hate spoiling your look, because one dresses according to the shoes up. But whenever i have cocktail parties or dinner parties, i kindly ask my guests to remove there shoes before entering.





If you were invited to a party where people were not to where there shoes, then you wouldn't be the only one in a dress without any shoes on.





Another thing, if this is part of there culture then it would want to respected. I was taught that before entering a place of worship or a home, one was to always remove shoes.





I guess that when the person has invited you to come to there home ofr the evening, that they would think you wouldn't have an issue about removing your shoes.





Last thing, your shoes take you everywhere, from the house to the car, to the public restrooms. If your were unconsciously walking on feces a or other sickly bacteria, I don’t think you would want them spread all throughout your house, which could move to the inside of your bed.
Reply:I think that generally it IS rude. Exception being that the culture/background of the homeowner dictates this as typical custom. I think that the whole " im trying to preserve my flooring" stance is flat rude though. Anytime you make your guests uncomfortable to accomadate your flooring, its rude. (imo)
Reply:when i wear shoes inside the house it feels weird and impolite. when i go to friend's houses and wear shoes indoors, i get this feeling of being really rude, even though it's acceptable there. it's not a getting-dirt-inside-the-house thing. it just feels really weird to wear shoes indoors. when it's cold i wear fuzzy bedroom slippers inside, slippers that stay inside all the time.





when my parents have parties, most guests take their shoes off, because they all feel the same way. i instinctively take my shoes off before entering any house. but in my house, if you don't take your shoes off that's perfectly all right too. some guests do, some don't. and the guests who will be taking their shoes off generally wear clothes that they look good in barefoot. we don't pressure guests to take off their shoes for our comfort. many just do anyways, because it's how they feel. but many wear their shoes and it all works.





but i can see how, in areas with colder climates then the one i live in, it wold be really cold to take shoes off. in that case, it would be unreasonable to expect guests to remove their shoes. talk to your host ahead of time if it's an issue to you, but remember that they're the host. you can decline the invitation if, after explaining your reasons to the guest, they still ask you to remove your shoes. one option is to wear thick socks. or comfortable slippers. if you carry them into the house and they're clean, the hosts should be okay. no one cares and it really doesn't look that bad. but it's not unreasonable to go barefoot inside the house or expect guests too. bring slippers.
Reply:It is rude and inconsiderate. If you are having a party and this is a must you should let people know somehow. Whats next? Wear plastic gloves when you come into someones house? Hands have more germs and dirt then feet after all. I personally base my outfits on my shoes and I will not take them off in public. And there would be no way I would put on someone else's nasty slippers with a nice outfit......Now I am talking about attending a party or something where I am dressed up, I would consider if it was something informal.....Maybe
Reply:Well, if I am the guest, I'd actually ask if you would like me to take off the shoes instead of you asking me. I think that would be the proper etiquette for the guest. But if you ask me to remove my shoes, I'd be gladly to do so. It's your home, not mine :)
Reply:I totally agree! I hate it when I walk into someone's house and they immediately hold their hand up and say "Ah! Shoes off, please!". As if a vacuum and a carpet cleaner are that hard to operate!


Now, I live in the South and, more often than not, taking your shoes off when you go to someone's house is a given ("kick off your shoes and make yourself at home" is a pretty common phrase). I just can't stand it when people do it because they don't want their precious floors to get dirty rather than as a hospitality thing.





EDIT: OK, after reading some of these responses, I just have to say that the whole "germs" argument is about the most bogus thing I've ever heard. What do you think you're breathing right now?!? God forbid what you're touching! Like I said above, a vacuum and a carpet cleaner are NOT that difficult to operate. And neither is a can of Lysol.
Reply:It's a cultural thing mostly. Do you ever look at the dirt that gets on the bottom of your shoes? Nobody wants that on their carpet.





Seeing as I live in a community with a high korean population, I've been asked to take my shoes off before, and I was fine with it.
Reply:I hate to say it Rooney but you wouldn't want to be in my house, I do expect people to take off their shoes. Some people walk in all sorts of cr@p and I don't want it all over my floors! I spent good money on my floor and some heels scuff the floors that will be a permanent reminder once the party is over with. It's usually a sign of welcomeness that you feel comfortable by taking off your shoes. Same thing can be said about a coat. I hate seeing people keep their coat on the entire time as if they're in a rush, to me the shoes mean the same thing.
Reply:if its my house. its my rules. period.





its not rude to ask polietly so that ur carpet doesn't get ruined. i asked ppl....
Reply:It's a matter of cultural preferences. Japanese, for example, will always take off their shoes before entering a home (including their own) whereas other people have no hesitation wearing street shoes even into your bathroom. I guess the custom of taking shoes off stems from the times when roads were still made of dirt so that the floor would be soiled by street shoes. It's not a matter of germs (those also adhere to your socks and bare soles!).


Like you, I regard it as a kind of imposition for hosts to "force" visitors to take off their shoes, but on the other hand it's a matter of politeness for me to meet my hosts' expectations even when I don't see the reason behind their rule.


Oh, and I think it's nice to see the ladies walk barefoot or in their socks, whereas the Wolfowitz effect in men may be more of a turn-off.
Reply:If it is a cultural thing (like asian people), I would be ok with it. But, just because they have hardwood floors? I would've just turned around and left. If their floors are so precious, why invite anyone over?
Reply:no, but it can be rude to take the shoes off - sometimes ;-)



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