This is quite random but I'm bored.
When you go to someones house do you remove your shoes? Do you expect people to remove their shoes when they enter your house?
Of course if they were wet or mucky then I presume you would have no hesitation but in my scenario they are clean and dry.
Over the years I have been bluntly told to remove my shoes which I find a little rude. I have also left them on and judging by the NVCs and looks at my footwear the expectation was that I should have removed them at the door.
In our house I don't give a stuff often once again picking up on the guests NVCs and telling them not to bother removing their shoes as we don't stand on ceremony.
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No, I would never expect someone to remove their shoes, muddy to one side, and I find it rude when I am asked to do so.
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>> No, I would never expect someone to remove their shoes, muddy to one side, and
>> I find it rude when I am asked to do so.
>>
I agree, I like having a decent home but don't want to live in a show house.
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In our extended family the children always remove their shoes. Amongst the adults it depends on the weather, and length of visit. Wet, shoes off, dry, short visit shoes on. Longer visit usually off for comfort. No hard and fast rules, just common sense. Our farming friends always remove their shoes, as we do when visiting them. If in doubt don't be proud, ask, I find that "Do you mind if I take my shoes off" works well when visiting and not sure due to weather, mud on shoes etc. Once again common sense and courtesy.
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NVCs
Non verbal communication. You can tell what someone is thinking by their facial expressions and body language.
Last edited by: Fullchat on Mon 30 Dec 13 at 20:07
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I have the expectation that if I think my shoes are dirty/muddy I will take them off anyway, and I don't expect to be asked if I don't,
BBD of course keeps his socks on.....
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Ask him if he knew the colour of her Curtains.
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I go to into an awful lot of houses because of my job. If its wet outside I will take them off anyway but if they are clean I won't. If they have a cream spotless carpet then I might offer to take them off.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Mon 30 Dec 13 at 20:16
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If somewhere new I take them off or if I know they are fussy sorts. For those entering my gaff leave them on unless out walking in bogs before hand.
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Should do, wiped his todger on it.
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"BBD of course keeps his socks on....."
Condom too of course...
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Seems to me there's something wrong if you have organised your living arrangments so you need to remove your footwear every time you walk in from outdoors and expect others to do the same
But christmas visiting suggests otherwise
Then again, some of these people choose to carpet the hallway with pale beige carpets....
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Having being brought up to take my shoes off when entering an house. I always do so at others unless asked not to do so and then I check the bottoms for stuff that may foul carpets. It just doesn't feel right walking on carpets, I expect people housed to be be treat the same as mine, carpets are expensive.
My family tell me that in the 70's my Dad made people take their shoes off before getting in his car! He passed on 25 years ago and I was only 7 so didn't get chance to ask him about that peculiar obsession!
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I've actually seen a few people wipe their feet on the way out of our cottage for some strange reason.
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We do not have carpets although we have a few rugs on bare oak boards upstairs. Downstairs is flagstone or tiles.
If I visit girlfriend in her flat then I take my shoes off and I have a pair of slippers she keeps there for me.
Last edited by: MJW1994 on Mon 30 Dec 13 at 21:15
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You're sorted then son. Slippers eh!
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We have laminate downstairs except for kitchen and cloakspace which are vinyl. Not too bothered if visitors go upstairs, where there are carpets, in shoes. Neither were shoes inside an issue in my parent's house but remember friends houses where shoes off was a rule.
Anyone else remember bit in seventies dramatisation of 'Carrie's War' where evacuees were told to straddle the carpet placing feet in the margin either side.
Good carpets last though. My sis and I recently revisited the house our grandmother lived in. Same stair carpet, retained with rods, that was there 50 years ago.
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Neither were shoes inside an
>> issue in my parent's house but remember friends houses where shoes off was a rule.
Same here, I think dad always felt it would make people unwelcome. it was always a case of 'don't worry fussing about, that come on in'
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>> I've actually seen a few people wipe their feet on the way out of our
>> cottage for some strange reason.
>>
Dogs?
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>>Dogs?
Paws for thought.
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It's a cultural thing. Here in Austria, where most houses have one or more wooden floors in the "public" areas, it's very normal to take your shoes off and be offered house shoes (slippers) by your host. Most tradesmen will do so without asking, it's just an ingrained habit. We aren't too fussed, but we have house shoes ready when anyone who calls slips their shoes off as they arrive.
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>> It's a cultural thing. Here in Austria, where most houses have one or more wooden
>> floors in the "public" areas, it's very normal to take your shoes off and be
>> offered house shoes (slippers) by your host.
I would have thought wooden floors would matter less as it's easier to clean up than a carpet, which would be more common in the UK?
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>> I would have thought wooden floors would matter less as it's easier to clean
>> up than a carpet, which would be more common in the UK?
>>
One of my kids has polished oak floors, grit or stones in shoe soles can damage them.
I have noticed that my grandson has adopted adult shoe routine now that he has reached the grand old age of 14. :-)
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Fair one i suppose it depends on what sort of wood floors you have. Still I'd find it a bit OTT.
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>> Fair one i suppose it depends on what sort of wood floors you have. Still
>> I'd find it a bit OTT.
>>
Like Uncle Albert says. A lot of floors are pine, some oak, and various other woods. But like anything, you just get used it. And when you go to friends houses, people often take their own slippers from home. Sometimes feels a bit odd, like when you've dressed up a bit for a special occasion, and everyone is sitting round in slippers and not posh shoes :-s
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>> I would have thought wooden floors would matter less as it's easier to clean
>> up than a carpet, which would be more common in the UK?
On the whole my 1998 Pergo laminate is wearing far better than same age carpet; stairs are getting threadbare in places. OTOH a couple of areas of laminate damage are down to grit wedged in shoes making scratches or dings. Solid wood strips, boards or parque would be much easier to scratch.
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The oak can scratch but can be repaired with a very fine piece of sandpaper and re-oiling.
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Have no carpets in my house, its all stripped and varnished floorboards. Been traipsing over it for 13 years in shoes with no ill affects,
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I used to visit Islamic/Muslim households regularly....it was expected to remove shoes. I think, personally, that it's a good idea, although it doesn't happen here and I wouldn't expect anyone to do it unless they wanted to.
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Shoes pick up all sorts of dirty things outside so its off in the house for me!
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Wood, tiles and an odd rug in our house. Wear what you like when you like.
However, if you do choose to take your shoes off you can get fabulously long sock slides in our hall with practice. In fact if you take a good enough run up across the patio, launch yourself through the open doors and get the angle right for the chicane you can almost make it to the front door if the wood has been recently polished.
I find towelling sports socks best for the purpose, though the downside is lack of lateral grip.
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Wow...We seem to have an ' extreme sports ' enthusiast on the forum !
HO
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Don't all blokes do sock slides surely? You'll be telling me next that it's unusual to indulge in underpant conversions? ( You know, when you stand on the opposite side of the bed from the laundry basket, drop your kegs until they are held only by the ends of your toes on your best kicking foot and snap kick your leg so that they perform the perfect parabola into the basket ) Everyone does that don't they...
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Tue 31 Dec 13 at 00:06
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Well..yes, but that's only a ' once a month ' thing....innit ?
Ho
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In my job I visit a large number of houses where I would wipe my feet on the way out. I also wouldn't sit down or allow any part of me, apart from feet, touch any surface.
At home, I appreciate our nice floors. So, it's shoes off for us. I wouldn't ask visitors to though as I think it's a bit rude.
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>> In my job I visit a large number of houses where I would wipe my
>> feet on the way out. I also wouldn't sit down or allow any part of
>> me, apart from feet, touch any surface.
>>
Been there, done that. Some homes are absolutely unbelievable.
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I generally ask the house owner. Politeness costs nothing and you then know whether to remove them or not.
At home I usually do anyway, and put on my slippers which are right by the door. But if I'm only popping in for a couple of seconds because I've forgotten something, providing my footwear is clean I don't bother unless I get shouted at by MWMBO.
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>> Don't all blokes do sock slides surely? You'll be telling me next that it's unusual
>> to indulge in underpant conversions? ( You know, when you stand on the opposite side
>> of the bed from the laundry basket, drop your kegs until they are held only
>> by the ends of your toes on your best kicking foot and snap kick your
>> leg so that they perform the perfect parabola into the basket ) Everyone does that
>> don't they...
>>
>>
>>
Yes!
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>> Don't all blokes do sock slides surely? You'll be telling me next that it's unusual
>> to indulge in underpant conversions? ( You know, when you stand on the opposite side
>> of the bed from the laundry basket, drop your kegs until they are held only
>> by the ends of your toes on your best kicking foot and snap kick your
>> leg so that they perform the perfect parabola into the basket ) Everyone does that
>> don't they...
I can get four days out of a pair of pants. I have tried doubling that by wearing them upside down, but it's not very comfortable.
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>> >> to indulge in underpant conversions? ( You know, when you stand on the opposite
>> side
>> >> of the bed from the laundry basket, drop your kegs until they are held
>> only
>> >> by the ends of your toes on your best kicking foot and snap kick
>> your
>> >> leg so that they perform the perfect parabola into the basket ) Everyone does
>> that
>> >> don't they...
Used to, till I left a pair hanging over Nicoles make up mirror once. The worse part was the crotch was left dangling in the open box of lipsticks.....
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"Used to, till I left a pair hanging over Nicoles make up mirror once."
Sorry about that, those were mine.
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We'll of course occasionally the trajectory is not as intended but I find that most situations can be recovered by a diving header or a volleyball style slapshot.
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It's a sign of the times I'm afraid. Sometimes it's hard to push past all the debris people keep piled in their lobbies - household shoes, slippers, visitors' shoes, boots, spare shoes, wooly socks, galoshes.
Then guests cause a hold up as they all try to change/remove shoes in a space 3 foot square, while trying to kiss and hug each other in the new fashionable way.
I don't hold with any of it. Floors are for walking on. Don't put stuff you don't want walked on on the floor.
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I'm with Cliff - visiting relatives the other day, there were in the hallway, in addition to the owners assorted pairs of outdoor/work/running/gardening shoes along with a pram and all its assorted accoutrements, up to 17 pairs of visitors shoes.
They have beige carpets and underfloor heating, don'cha know
But the host work formal shoes all the time.....
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Passion stains explanation - clever :-)
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Sky engineer turned up at my sisters house the other day. First thing he did was remove his shoes at the door. Young lad too, not an oldy who you'd think would be more likely to remove their shoes.
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>> I can get four days out of a pair of pants. I have tried doubling> that by wearing them upside down, but it's not very comfortable.
Just turn them inside out.
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>>
>> >> I can get four days out of a pair of pants. I have tried
>> doubling> that by wearing them upside down, but it's not very comfortable.
>>
>>
>> Just turn them inside out.
>>
Sigh.
That's included already!
Day 1. Right way round, front to front.
Day 2. Inside out, front to front.
Day 3. Back to front, inside out.
Day 4. Back to front, right way round.
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And you wonder why I can't bear the thought of sitting in seats at Weatherspoons.
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>> And you wonder why I can't bear the thought of sitting in seats at Weatherspoons.
>>
I am quite sure that you know I left out the smiley on purpose!
I think I heard It first on Top Gear.
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Working class habit:
1. Buy carpets you can't afford.
2. Buy impractical carpets.
3. Expectation of being filthy after day indulging in manual toil.
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If you walk a lot - which few do - you remove your shoes before you deposit on the carpets:
stones
leaves
earth
(I avoid dog carp so that's ok)
horse carp
oil/rubber
water
sand
and salt from crossing salted roads.
From the hall to the kitchen is 8 meters so any deposits there are acceptable IF you sit down in the kitchen and de-shoe there..
On the occasions I forget and go to our bedroom at the far end of the stairs/hall I tend to leave a trail - and MUCH worse- stains on our beige bedroom carpet. Not recommended for marital harmony...
I have seen some houses where I would not walk on teh carpets fro fear of contracting hepatitis.. or cholera
Last edited by: madf on Tue 31 Dec 13 at 13:28
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8 meters? Fab !
I'd recommend two pairs of socks for a run that long. A thin pair next to your feet and a thick pair on top. Reduces heat build up on longer slides.
Just watch your kneecaps on any radiators if you get off the racing line.
Stings at best that.
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>> If you walk a lot - which few do - you remove your shoes before
>> you deposit on the carpets:
>> stones
>> leaves
>> earth
>> (I avoid dog carp so that's ok)
>> horse carp
>> oil/rubber
>> water
>> sand
>> and salt from crossing salted roads.
>>
You forgot diesel, it adds an aroma to the patina. :-)
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When the virgin media engineer called to fix my phone he insisted on putting plastic overshoes on, even though I told him it was not necessary. I did wonder if he was protecting his shoes from my carpet, mind you.
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>> When the virgin media engineer called to fix my phone he insisted on putting plastic
>> overshoes on, even though I told him it was not necessary. I did wonder if
>> he was protecting his shoes from my carpet, mind you.
My Lad was a virgin media engineer for a year, its part of their training. Mind you if you had seen some of the locations for holes and cabinets they had to visit you would see why.
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>> When the virgin media engineer .............
It also means you can't sue virgin for a new carpet.
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Well of course here (Sweden) everyone takes of their shoe regardless. They consider it dirty and unhygienic to wear 'outdoor' shoes inside. It's also the reason carpets aren't used, as they can harbour dirt and disease (they say). I often ask them about dogs coming in and out, but they can't answer that one.
I was bought up to always take off shoes at other peoples houses, so it does feel a bit strange not to nowadays when back in blighty.
My houses here have old oiled pine boards, so I don't care if others come in with shoes on. And one of the houses is used as a workshop anyway, so I tell customers to keep their shoes on, as their shoes are cleaner than the floor.
But it is funny to watch the swedes when they visit, especially the workshop house. I ask them in and they don't know what to do. They look at me, then my feet, then their feet, then back at me again, as it goes against all their rules, and they do like to follow the rules.
If people are coming over for an evening, or something, then they often bring their own slippers, or use some of mine kept specially for visitors. Not least because some of the boards are pretty rough, and the floor insulation poor, so it's best to have something more substantial than socks.
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Our house is an old farmhouse without any carpets so if someone makes a mess it’s easy to clean up. It’s not a working farm now but years ago you can imagine farm workers coming into the large kitchen in their muddy boots and sitting at the table. If I’m in my outdoor boots then those are taken off, similarly steel-capped chainsaw boots as the deep treads can hold quite a bit of mud which then falls off as it dries. I can also get ear-ache if I deposit wood shavings from the chainsaw around the place.
Some people let their house take over their lives. There’s this elderly widow near us, she must be late 80s now, in a large modern house. We have known her for years, she used to child-sit myself and brother when we were small and her whole life is structured around the house. Everyday she will be doing some sort of cleaning and has certain days set aside for specific jobs. She doesn’t drive anymore so occasionally if I’m going out somewhere I will phone her to see if she would like a ride. The other day I needed to go to Melksham to pick up a part so asked if she would like to come along, the town is not very pleasant but the drive there is good. No, she couldn’t go Monday morning as that was dusting day. I was a bit flexible, I didn’t need the part urgently so said what about Tuesday. No, that was laundry day. Wednesday? Window cleaning day. I gave up at that point.
Her house is immaculate, you definitely have to remove your shoes and if you don’t then you will be told to do so. I was there a few weeks ago clearing up a couple of small branches with the chainsaw and was invited in for a cup of tea but was reminded to remove my boots. Unfortunately some saw dust had got caught between the boot and my leggings, depositing a small amount on the hallway carpet. I barely had time to apologise and the Dyson hand-held vacuum was out, really thorough job as well, I thought she might vacuum me up. She calls me Dear which I hate, so I felt less guilty about the sawdust after that.
My ladyfriend’s flat is immaculate but she has cream carpets so I can understand why she hands me the slippers when I appear at the door. All the rooms are neat and tidy, at night she neatly folds her clothes and places them on the chair in her bedroom. With me the clothes end up pretty much where they fall (or occasionally where someone else throws them), although any attempts I make to be tidier are ruined by the dog who takes pleasure out of re-arranging my room. The next dog will be downstairs-only woof.
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@MJW - such is the way with many elderly people, it give a sense and structure to life, but can seem a but obsessive when those who don't have other commitments with their time get a bit inflexible. We will do a 300 mile trip to visit a couple of pensioners every year, and usually there is no point in arriving before one of them is back from church, or expecting to stay any later than the other one expects to go shopping
But its worth it - they are uplifting people to visit - in fact my best memory of the season is the smile on the face of one of them as she saw us walking towards her bed in hospital - recognised us at 10 yards, and she's 97
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In majority of countries it is the norm to remove shoes while entering in someone's house unless the host specifically advises otherwise.
I do request anyone coming to my house to leave their shoes in entrance porch. Tradesmen usually carry a plastic wraparound covering their shoes (don't know technical term for this). This means many people prefer leaving shoes outside.
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Do many call around a second time?
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Mud seems to be a function of our lives. We dog walk across muddy fields. We mountain bike on muddy trails, our back garden resembles the Somme in parts since next door git a ruddy rabbit and our dog tries to get to it. To get anywhere we drive down muddy farm lanes. Our son plays rugby and returns covered in the stuff, friends from the next village turn up with their muddy dogs for a brew.
To insist on a mud free ground floor in our house would be quite a challenge. Not that we ( she ) doesn't clean it but it is allowed to be used in between whiles.
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>> To insist on a mud free ground floor in our house would be quite a challenge. Not that we ( she ) doesn't clean it but it is allowed to be used in between whiles.
Likewise, in Spades. Mud and dead leaves are a large part of the environment.
There is a cleaner who comes for a few hours once a week and does some floor cleaning, but of course we do some too, herself doggedly, I when I feel guilty.
The worst problem isn't mud, especially dried mud which responds very well to an ordinary broom, but goddam cats and the things they leave lying about: mice, voles and shrews alive and half-alive, chewed-up birds or their viscera, and cat sick when they've eaten too much or swallowed too many beaks and claws... even found a piece of bat wing on the hearthrug recently. It's kind of them but I wish they wouldn't.
Now the nippers bring this cute little kitten which rather unusually isn't housetrained.
Mud? Luxury!
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>> Do many call around a second time?
Why not? I just ask them to take their shoes off, not clothes :-)
Last edited by: movilogo on Tue 31 Dec 13 at 18:45
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>> Why not? I just ask them to take their shoes off, not clothes :-)
:-)
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Do the fastidious ones apply the same principle to their cars? Do passengers have to sit with their legs hanging over the sill to remove muddy shoes before being allowed properly in?
Do they provide a stock of plastic bags?
What are the rules for carrying people wearing wet coats?
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Yeah, weird one that, my wife will spend a couple of hundred quid on a rug and protect it with her life from getting dirty.
However, her car which at time of purchase cost 50 times that gets treated like a skip.
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My ladyfriend keeps her flat immaculate, the car less so but then it’s not easy for her since she lives in a flat so can’t get a vacuum or water easily to the car. However when she visits me then I will vacuum the car out, it’s generally only the driver’s side that needs doing as the rest of the car is hardly ever sat in. I will also give it a thorough wash for her, sometimes I use the pressure washer to get in the wheel arches and underneath but more usually just a hose and brush on the end and one of those wash mitt things. I open all the doors and tailgate and clean the bits you don’t normally see from the outside. If she’s in the mood she might polish the glass otherwise I do it, although at this time of year our aim is just to keep the worst of the mud etc. off.
I think she’s quite normal though, I can understand her keeping her flat immaculate as it’s her first home she has owned. A test of any ladyfriend of mine is if they enjoy being out in the woods especially chainsawing as one is likely to get wet and muddy. She’s not bad at some of the smaller branches but doesn’t have the strength in the arms for much else and isn’t trained anyway. My Husqvarna is a biggy, not for modest ladies. She doesn’t mind getting wet, muddy and dirty though.
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>> Yeah, weird one that, my wife will spend a couple of hundred quid on a
>> rug and protect it with her life from getting dirty.
>>
Female nesting instinct, the car being out of her nest is not her problem. My nest cleaner is the same. :-)
Last edited by: Uncle Albert on Wed 1 Jan 14 at 13:24
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>>
>> Female nesting instinct,
>>
That possibly is the key point in this debate.
It might depend on the species. I bought an old nest, then found the mate afterwards.
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One set of my grandparents are fairly routine-driven but the other set are quite flexible, they are still in their 70s so may that stubborn inflexibility hasn’t kicked in yet. They are always pleased to see me, I try and go and visit them at least once a week to coincide with any jobs they may need help with. As they don’t drive anymore they are always keen to accompany me to places, even if it results in them just sitting in the car. It’s better than being stuck in the four walls watching rubbish on the TV.
I was slightly surprised that the old widow felt unable to delay her dusting for a few hours to come out for a ride but it was her call. How could she refuse a ride out with a quality lad in a quality car? Well one of those may be true. Or neither…
;-)
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Carpets and Shoes :S - No FM2R
