What do you give guests to wear on their feet if you ask them to remove shoes before entering your house?

Question

This assumes they do not want to walk around in their socks or bare feet. What alternatives are offered in other countries where this situation (no shoes in the house) is the custom?

Answer 1

When I lived in S. Korea guests were offered nothing but a place to put their shoes and a nice clean floor. They kept their floors immaculate wherever we would go. If you weren't asked to take off your shoes, then the floor was not suitable to walk barefoot on, and thus you would keep your shoes on. So, if you ask your guests to respect your home by taking their shoes off, then you should show equal respect by keeping your floors clean enough to walk on with socks or bare feet.

Answer 2

Hi there! This was the best idea I could come up with on my own. Hope it helps you out.

1. Have a slipper/sock basket.. This may sound strange (but who knows, all of my guests have not only not minded, but a few have absolutely loved it!) Grab a nice basket (a bin will work too) and fill it with several pairs of house slippers. No, not old grody used slippers. Go to a K-Mart or Wal-Mart. There you can find very reasonably priced slippers (maybe $3 a pair) enabling you to purchase a good 10 pair. This way guests will have the option to cover up their feet and do it in comfort (while not ruining your carpet). The same idea can be used as a sock basket. Or even a flip flop basket. These would also be cheap.

I must say though, only because I think of myself as a very mannerly person, and one who dwells on etiquette constantly , that unless your guest's shoes are visibly dirty or they chose to take their shoes off, it is ruse and improper to request a person remove their shoes.

Answer 3

I'd probably have a pair of socks along with me if I knew I was going to enter with already dirty feet. Closed shoes: already wearing socks over dirty feet, so just remove the shoes. Flip flops, remove the shoes outside, put on the sock, bring the flip flops inside. Barefoot long enough on hot asphalt can bake dirt into the soles, and no amount of handwipes or washing with a washcloth will wash away that dirt until it wears away a couple of days later.

Answer 4

Usually guests will just walk around in their socks or barefeet at my house. When they come in they take off their shoes and whatever is on under their shoes is what they walk around in. My family and I are usually in socks. If I go to someones house I always take off my shoes and just expect that I will walk around in my socks.

Answer 5

Well, I live in Canada. I often walk around in my socks, so I don't always think of those things for my guests. However my wife has put out a bunch of knit slippers, and offers them to visitors.

Answer 6

Some houses provide disposable slippers, similar to the ones at the hospital, or even nice slippers.
Socks or slipper socks are usually the custom.
I have experienced people that have thongs for their guests to wear.
I prefer to bring my own socks.

Answer 7

I prefer a nice place to wipe my feet so I can keep my shoes on. People are more important than carpet and at my house unless there is mud hanging on someones shoes, I wouldn't consider asking them to take their shoes off.

Answer 8

I was told most Canadians expect you to remove your shoes but when I did at one house I had to walk around in stockings on the cold wood floor in the winter??????????

Answer 9

I don't think that you are necessarily obligated to give them anything to wear on their feet. In countries such as Japan, they remove shoes upon entry and wear only socks.

Answer 10

Usually have flip flops or sandals for people to wear when they come in. Not very nice to ask them to go bare unless you have a carpet in which case you also go bare.