Dear Jacquelyn,

Is it rude to ask guests to take off their shoes when entering your home?

Dear Reader,

There are certain, and valid circumstances in which the request to remove shoes is appropriate.

One might be to honor cultural traditions.

Another may be for health reasons. Someone inside the home may suffer from serious allergies. In this case, it’s best to leave the dirt and germs outside.

Inclement weather may also be a factor, a very good reason to leave footwear by the door.

Another big motivation behind a host’s decision to go shoeless is his or her children. A crawling baby or toddler could easily pick something up on a dirty floor. Shoes at the door assures that floors stay cleaner and provide less opportunity to track in germs. Following this simple house rule could help keep little ones healthier.

It’s perfectly appropriate to ask guests to remove their shoes, so long as you have accommodations to keep them comfortable. This means having new socks on hand so guests don’t have to walk around barefoot, and it also means having a designated space where guests can remove and store their shoes. As a host, you want to make sure your guests are as comfortable as possible.

Regardless of your motives, it’s perfectly polite to ask your guests to take their shoes off in your home, as long as you do it in way that still makes them feel welcome.

Respectfully Yours,

Jacquelyn

Have a question? Email: jacquelyn@ptd.net. Jacquelyn Youst is owner of the Pennsylvania Academy of Protocol, specializing in etiquette training.

All Rights Reserved

&Copy; 2024 Jacquelyn Youst