Miss Manners: Is it rude to ask guests to take their shoes off in my home?
A homeowner with new floors and carpet wants to ask guests to remove their shoes but worries about seeming rude or making people uncomfortable.
Liam Carter 
Updating your home with pristine new floors and carpet is an exciting milestone, but it often brings up a common etiquette dilemma: Is it acceptable to ask your guests to ditch their shoes at the door?
The Shoes-Off Dilemma
One homeowner recently reached out to Miss Manners here at 205focus.com, expressing concern over how to request that visitors remove their footwear without appearing impolite. While some guests offer to do so voluntarily, the homeowner feels the act remains awkward and has been making exceptions for elderly visitors.
Miss Manners Weighs In
In her response, Miss Manners questioned the logic behind exempting elderly guests from this rule, noting that keeping shoes on is often a matter of safety and dignity—comforts that every guest, regardless of age, likely appreciates.
Ultimately, the advice from Miss Manners is to prioritize your guests' comfort and safety over the condition of your flooring. She suggests that investing in quality cleaners is a better path than making guests feel uncomfortable. However, for those who feel they must enforce a shoe-free zone, she suggests a subtle approach: providing slippers or bootees at the entrance as a silent invitation, rather than issuing a verbal request.
How to Connect
Do you have your own etiquette questions? You can reach out to Miss Manners at missmanners.com, via email at dearmissmanners@gmail.com, or by sending traditional mail to: Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
