Barefoot viewing -shoes off to inspect?

[wish-ga]

shoes off' homes usually the cultural norm of the owner. Only once I travelled did I understood perfectly. Changed me forever.

Even if the owners wear shoes inside - I feel about as comfortable in mine as most people would standing on a dinner table shod.

I sit at floor level at home. It is understandable to not want street dirt (think pet excrement & dried spittle) near food, tea, snacks.

One instance I did hesitate. The property had been tenanted for over a decade. It was filthy. What was the original carpet colour? Family's permanent sleeping arrangements were matresses with never changed sheets on the floor and clothes and stuff piled so high bedroom doors did not swing open fully! I did not want to step on the dirty floor in my socks ......... but I did ... where's the Detol?

But it goes both ways... I would check out the feet of the REA.....
never trust an REA with a hammer toes or corns or callouses !
(not forward looking enough, too thick skinned to take a hint and have security issues respectively *wink*)

 

[phil]

We are remove shoes people, sign or no sign...I was trying to figure out where that has come from; I think when we settled here at the farm we did as other families did, removed footwear....probably good reason out here, dust, dags, grime, muck, occasionally (very! ) mud....(that's been lot less frequent last decade. 1994-2005 no-growth for precipitation has been .25%).

Most folk (I have observed) up here in the bush automatically remove their shoes/boots/slip ons/thongs before walking into anyone's house...we certainly do inspecting properties, it's just habit now...elastic sided work boots are the norm...oliver, blundstone,rossi, even the occasional rm williams...slip'em on....slip'em off..........

Without changing the focus off the thread too much, I think it essentially comes down to the issue of respect. Just my opinion, but I think that removing shoes shows respect and consideration for someone else and their belongings. I think that the removal of footwear prior to entering a house was always part of our Australian heritage, its just something that we have forgotten. It's similar to wearing a hat indoors. Having a military background, I find it a bit odd when I see individuals in a shop or bank etc with a hat on. I think to myself, "has anybody ever told them that it is polite to remove their hat prior to entering a house etc"?

At the end of the day, I suppose it's not a big deal to many people, but I like these old fashioned rituals. Again, it comes down to respect. (and a bit of class)

 

[sue78]

removing the shoes is fine but what if the house is really dirty? I guess if no shoes are allowed in the house then it wouldn't be too dirty.

I think offering slippers for guests is a good idea like they do in Japan and Korea. Even in the Inns, you have to leave your shoes and put on slippers.

I have a 2 yr old b'day party next week and I don't know how to ask my friends to take their shoes off......my mother in lawl is quite particular about that as she's a clean freak. She sweeps every day, mops and vacuums 3 times a week.

 

[Joe D]

What is the problem?

Respect ones wishes in their own home or don't visit. This applies whether it is an IP or a family friend.

Personally, I have to admire people who have such standards.

 

[ggumpshots]

removing the shoes is fine but what if the house is really dirty? I guess if no shoes are allowed in the house then it wouldn't be too dirty.

I think offering slippers for guests is a good idea like they do in Japan and Korea. Even in the Inns, you have to leave your shoes and put on slippers.

I have a 2 yr old b'day party next week and I don't know how to ask my friends to take their shoes off......my mother in lawl is quite particular about that as she's a clean freak. She sweeps every day, mops and vacuums 3 times a week.

Inform your guests your child has a severe epileptic reactions to dirty carpets and if they would mind removing their shoes.
Alternatively, indicate to your guests where to put their shoes and have a pile of shoes in the same location.
For a Baby party I think the mothers would be delighted
Actually its no big deal, just unusual until you get used to asking people.

 

[yo yo ma]

Inform your guests your child has a severe epileptic reactions to dirty carpets and if they would mind removing their shoes.

You're really pushing the envelope to link epilepsy & dirty carpets
Can't see the link there... maybe asthma?
Steve

 

[nomadic]

I do it and i also don't see what the big deal is. I also have friends who have this rule in their homes and i respect that. I think those that don't are a bit too precious and should move along to the next one (less competition )

I have a 2 yr old b'day party next week and I don't know how to ask my friends to take their shoes off......my mother in lawl is quite particular about that as she's a clean freak. She sweeps every day, mops and vacuums 3 times a week.

I'd put up a sign at the front door saying something like "please remove your shoes before entering".

PS: no disrespect but it sounds like your mother in law has OCD or too much time on her hands... life is too short to carry on like that.

 

[RicePud]

Gee, I'm quite surprised by some of the comments re 'shoes off policy'. We've adopted that policy at home and I've nevered considered myself precious. I had a choice to either allow shoe wearing by family or friends and therefore have to mop and vacuum more ofter, or shoes off, in which case I don't have to clean as often. Easy choice. Plus I have young kids who play on their hands and knees on the floor.

I don't personally see the big deal in taking your shoes off at home opens (except of course you suffer physical discomfort to do so). I'm always conscious of the fact that I'm traipsing through someone's home (be it home-owner or renter). To them it's not just a house or investment.

Just my thoughts.

 

[ggumpshots]

I do it and i also don't see what the big deal is. I also have friends who have this rule in their homes and i respect that. I think those that don't are a bit too precious and should move along to the next one (less competition )



I'd put up a sign at the front door saying something like "please remove your shoes before entering".

PS: no disrespect but it sounds like your mother in law has OCD or too much time on her hands... life is too short to carry on like that.

Off topic,
but Nomadic did a a very professional job in renovating my Kitchen on the Gold Coast.

 

[JFisher]

We do both! Shoes off if they are workboots, shoes can stay on if they are clean.

We recently did a reno for some people and at the recent housewarming party a visitor wore her stiletto heels into the house which had newly sanded and polished 50 year old floorboards; she proceeded to walk around the entire house having a look at all the reno'd rooms then stood rocking a baby to sleep in the one spot, still on the floorboards, in the kitchen dining area.....owner cried buckets.....I couldn't believe that no-one noticed what she was wearing. Even if you do wear shoes inside you would have to know what a stilleto heel could do?! Not happy, Jan!

The owner thinks that she must have seen what her shoes had done because next time she came she wore flat heels and took them off at the front door.

 

[BoatBoy]

My new PPOR is in a new estate and it pissed down rain all night.

Next door (specy) had an open house so went and had a yarn to the agent to see the percentage of tyre kickers to buyers.

I had no probs losing the shoes as the feet may have been a bit muddy.

These are the same wallys that won't play the fence and retaining wall game with me, so maybe I should have stomped muddy foot prints through the house. ( MMmmm cream carpet, muddy footprints)

Lucky i'm a nice guy eh.

Dave

 

[BoatBoy]

We recently did a reno for some people and at the recent housewarming party a visitor wore her stiletto heels into the house which had newly sanded and polished 50 year old floorboards; she proceeded to walk around the entire house having a look at all the reno'd rooms then stood rocking a baby to sleep in the one spot, still on the floorboards, in the kitchen dining area.....owner cried buckets.....I couldn't believe that no-one noticed what she was wearing. Even if you do wear shoes inside you would have to know what a stilleto heel could do?! Not happy, Jan!

The owner thinks that she must have seen what her shoes had done because next time she came she wore flat heels and took them off at the front door.

Had the same situation on boats I worked on in a previous life.

Back in the Keith Lloyd,Alan Bond and Chris Skase days at Lloyds Ships I helped build Multi Million dollar boat's, 110 footers, lot of money back then.

Teak decked boats and skanky model types in high heels totally ruining them during launching parties.

We had to replace the decks, a major job indeed.

Money.........Only bits of coloured paper they tell me.

Dave

 

[gooram]

If you're not prepared to take your shoes off, I say don't go in the house.

If you were in the house, and the owner requested that you don't put your feet on the coffee table, would you ignore them and do it anyway?

Who knows what their reasons are, they could have just had the carpets steam cleaned or floors polished as mentioned already. They could have children allergic to hush puppies. Who cares, just take them off!

If for whatever reason it's hard to take your shoes off, wear more appropriate shoes for goodness sake.

 

[Jenga]

A carpet layer once told me that the oil from barefeet or socks that have been sweating in shoes does far more harm to the carpet than a bit of dirt that might be walked in.

On the other hand, we are about to have an open home for a reno we are completing and I will be asking the agent to get people to take their shoes off. It's not that I'm worried about the dirt, I want them to be able to feel the under tile heating in the bathroom. Very nice on a cold day in Hobart.

Cheers,
Pete

 

[wish-ga]

......... a visitor wore her stiletto heels into the house which had newly sanded and polished 50 year old floorboards;.....owner cried buckets.....

The owner thinks that she must have seen what her shoes had done because next time she came she wore flat heels and took them off at the front door.

The stiletto lady has been invited back?

The owner must be a very gracious hostess.

 

[HandyAndy888]

I am always tempted to go home with a nicer pair of shoes than the ones I arrived in

Wylie

lol...