Are you a shoe nazi?

Question

If so, how do you justify forcing your guests to remove their shoes upon entering your residence?

Answer 1

I am not a nazi about it but am pretty strict. When my family come home they all know that they need to take their shoes off on the porch before they come inside. Most of my regular visitors who come to the house take their shoes off and leave them with the pile of family shoes. But for first time visitors that's a different story. Some people will ask when the see the shoes "Do you want us to take our shoes off." Which I always reply "Yes, thank you we have shoes off rule" If I know someone is coming to visit for the first time I try to be outside when they arrive. I then invite them in I take off my shoes on the way and most people just follow my lead. When it comes to kids coming to visit I just tell them sometimes I just yell from the kitchen or somewhere when I hear them come inside. "Take your shoes off guys."

Answer 2

Being a health care professional, and knowing what pathogens and bacteria are brought into an otherwise clean home on shoe soles, I have a policy on this. I will provide guests with house shoes or new socks, but we don't allow shoes in the home. They are left in the front entry, an area that can be easily cleaned and sanitized. After here begins carpet, which you can never truly sanitize effectively. Guests have a choice. They can remove them, or we can visit outdoors. I respect the wishes of all hosts whose homes I visit, and expect that to be reciprocated. It is no different than asking your guests not to smoke in your non-smoking home. It is a matter of health and respect. I have never had a guest who was put out by this, and most of the other people in our area with nice homes like to keep them that way. I have found this policy is more the rule where I live than the exception.

Answer 3

I don't think nazi is the right word.

No one is forced to remove their shoes. But it is a sign of respect to remove ones shoes before entering someone else's home, here in the country, where there are few sidewalks, and shoes can bring in a lot of dirt. It is considered rude NOT to remove them.

I agree that if the people's floors are dirty, guests should not be expected to walk barefoot on dirt!

Some homes keep extra pairs of knitted slippers for guests to wear, especially in winter if the floors are cool. When we visit our relatives, we bring indoor shoes to change into.

Answer 4

Im no shoe nazi, but I think people that are can justify their actions by the fact that its their house and if you want in you need to respect their freaky issues.

If youre like George Kostanzas dad you need friends that will let you keep your shoes on, even in their swimming pool.

Answer 5

When you open your door and invite your guest in all you have to do is say very casually is "you can leave your shoes right there" and point to a place next to the door. Also you must be barefoot. And most important your floors HAVE to be clean. You cannot ask someone to take off their shoes in your house if your floors are filthy.

Answer 6

I guess it is how you define nazi....I have a no shoe rule because we have both hardwood floors and light carpeting......when someone who has not visited before is coming over, I will mention to them before they arrive about the no shoes rule...it has never been a problem....the only person who ever object was a women I interviewd to clean my home....she was not hired!

Answer 7

If you appreciate having germs & bacteria from all over the city streets trudged around your home, I certainly don't. Not to mention having cleaned my home & to have dirty shoes marching all over it, is unacceptable. If that makes me a shoe nazi, then by all means I accept that title.

Answer 8

When I visited a zen center the woman who answered the door simply pointed to a series of shelves and said gently, "You can leave your shoes there." I thought that was an excellent way to deal with the issue.

My rule to take off shoes is dependent on who comes over and the weather. If I have cleaned for several people to visit, I ask them to remove shoes. If one person is over just for a few minutes, and if there are no wet or muddy conditions, I don't ask them to take off their shoes. The entire reason behind my asking people to take their shoes off is simply so I don't have to clean my carpeting. It's nothing I wouldn't do myself when I go to friends homes, but I try to wear clogs or sandals that I can easily put on and take off.

However, I once asked a young person to take of their shoes and this person asked if it was for my comfort or theirs. I told them that it was so I didn't have to do extra cleaning. The shoes came off and a stench was emitted that virtually had me choking. So I will suggest to all of you that if someone questions and is reluctant to remove their shoes, it might just be best to let them keep them on. I had to burn candles for two days to clear the air afterward. I'm dead serious, unfortunately. Now I keep a can of foot spray in my home as a "just in case" item.

Peace.

Answer 9

Only if they're going on carpet. I like my home to stay looking nice and I think it looks trashy when shoes press the carpeting down and ground dirt and things from outside into the carpet.

Answer 10

In some cultures it is totally gross to allow the outside dirt into one's home and carpets.

We just go with the flow, but it's probably not a bad idea.