Is It Rude to Ask Guests to Take Off Their Shoes When Entering Your Home?

There are many reasons to have a no-shoes policy in your home—cleaner floors and better health, to start. But does asking your guests to take theirs off as soon as they cross your threshold cross the line? Short answer: No. It's perfectly polite to ask your guests to take their shoes off in your home, as long as you do it in a way that still makes them feel welcome (and doesn't make your foyer feel like an airport security line).

We asked experts to share their tips on when—and how—to ask your visitors to remove their shoes (politely).

Give Advanced Warning

Your ultimate goal when hosting guests is to make them comfortable and welcome, but when your first order of business upon their arrival is asking them to remove their shoes, they might not feel that way. To avoid that initial awkward shuffle at the door, Bryant suggests letting company know ahead of time that your home is a shoe-free place. To keep this friendly, your request should be light, she says: "Something simple like, 'We have a no-shoes policy here at our house, so when you come over please bring your favorite slippers or comfy socks."

This approach is especially rational for a winter party, where wet and salty boots can ruin your floors, but should make sense to your guests in any season. "I believe that after a few years of being extra sensitive to the personal space and wellness of others when we gather, requesting that guests remove their shoes is neither unreasonable nor inhospitable—and guests should quite literally take the policy in stride," says Farley.

Prepare for Push Back

You might run into a guest who believes the host's requests don't apply to them, so you should have a response at the ready for anyone who balks at taking off their boots—though, this isn't likely. "A good guest respects the host's home and happily abides by basic house rules—including removing shoes when requested to do so," says Farley. "It would be ungracious for a guest to refuse a gentle request to remove footwear."

In the rare case this occurs, however, just roll with it. "The host should not make a scene and can accept the refusal graciously," says Farley. "That said, that same guest should not be surprised if this proves to be the last time they are invited over."

Set Up a Changing Station

If you are going to ask your guests take off their shoes, give them a comfortable place to do so. "Make sure you have a place near the front door where guests may sit to change their footwear," she says, adding that there should also be a convenient spot for storing shoes. The last thing you and your guests want is to have to try and wrangle their way through piles of discarded footwear.

Bryant also suggests keeping a supply of single-use slippers on hand so that your shoeless guests feel more at home. "They can be used when someone forgets the no-shoes policy, if they arrive with muddy boots, or if they stop by unaware of the rules of the house," she says.

Keep Your Party Simple

If your event is more formal, guests may be reluctant to take off shoes that are part of their attire. "I would host such an event elsewhere or, if an outdoor space at your home is appropriate, use that so guests may keep their shoes on," Bryant says.

Also remember that certain party types or themes just aren't suited for this policy, says Farley: "Occasions where shoe removal would be particularly arduous or tough to pull off—literally—include an event where guests will be gathered both outdoors and indoors, such as a backyard barbecue, or a surprise party where there is nowhere to feasibly hide everyone's shoes in anticipation of the guest of honor’s arrival."

Keep Your Party Small

The size of your invitation list can also play into how comfortable your guests are without their shoes; it's one thing to go shoeless at a family game night and quite another to request it of the women you're hosting for your niece's baby shower. "The larger the gathering, the more impractical it is to expect guests to shed their shoes," says Farley. "A small night-in with friends? Taking off shoes is entirely feasible and reasonable. A dinner party with 20 guests? Much harder to do—and less reasonable to expect."

Always Be Gracious

If you failed to let your guests know that you have a no-shoe policy in your home because you did not decide you had one until someone shows up with dirty footwear, asking your friend to take off his or her shoes may feel rude—especially if the rest of your guests are still wearing theirs.

To avoid feeling like your request is out of line, or making your friend feel singled out, Bryant says to frame your shoes-off request in a way that makes you sound helpful, instead of worried about your flooring: "Use language such as, 'Oh my, we really must do something about that mud puddle out front. Let me take those shoes from you so you'll be comfortable during our visit.'"