Neighbour rings me after visiting - carpet dirty?!?!?

Paddy Cow

COYVB wrote: »

If people take their shoes off the floors are kept cleaner, there's less debris tracked in and I'm less likely to walk on a pebble while in my sock feet.

No idea where this idea that people who rather not have shoes worn in their houses are snobby came from. It's common sense... Your shoes are in contact with the ground at all times outside and are more likely to pick dirt up. Same goes for the person who owns the house... That's why they take theirs off too. It's hardly rocket science

But most shoes have a rubber sole which doesn't retain dirt. Dirt gets trapped in the threads of shoes and if you wipe them on a mat before entering a house it dislodges the dirt. Socks are made of cloth which holds onto dirt. I hoover and wash my floors but find that my socks are still far more dirty if I walk around just wearing them, rather than my shoes.

Satriale

Meangadh wrote: »

I have never had someone come into my house that I had to clean up after cos of their shoes. I've had parties and stuff where food or drink would need to be cleaned up after falling on the floor, but that's nothing to do with their shoes clearly.

Sure you'd be hoovering/washing the floors anyway, that should be enough. Most of us are going around with all sorts of bacteria on our hands (think of handling money, door handles etc) and it's mostly not doing us harm but I'd be more concerned about that than a bit of grubbiness on the floors.

If it was just mud they were dragging in, i would have no problem my kids crawling on/eating that, but this is dog sh1t im talking about. have you ever smelled that stuff? thats a whole other level above grubbiness!

my place is not spotless, in fact its a tip most of the time, but i draw the line at animal faeces on the floor... its easier to take off my shoes than wash the floor every time i go in or out.

(btw, if i was the OP id have told that lady fcuk off with her auld oily carpets (but then again i wouldnt have to cause id have taken off my shoes:eek:))

COYVB

Paddy Cow wrote: »

But most shoes have a rubber sole which doesn't retain dirt. Dirt gets trapped in the threads of shoes and if you wipe them on a mat before entering a house it dislodges the dirt. Socks are made of cloth which holds onto dirt. I hoover and wash my floors but find that my socks are still far more dirty if I walk around just wearing them, rather than my shoes.

Again I have to point to where I live and the slush/snow/salt issue

Paddy Cow

Satriale wrote: »

If it was just mud they were dragging in, i would have no problem my kids crawling on/eating that, but this is dog sh1t im talking about. have you ever smelled that stuff? thats a whole other level above grubbiness!

my place is not spotless, in fact its a tip most of the time, but i draw the line at animal faeces on the floor... its easier to take off my shoes than wash the floor every time i go in or out.

(btw, if i was the OP id have told that lady fcuk off with her auld oily carpets (but then again i wouldnt have to cause id have taken off my shoes:eek:))

Where do you live that you get dog sh!t on your shoes every time you go in or out? Unless I lived on a farm where animal faeces is part of the deal, I'd be getting onto the Council to sort out the problem.

Satriale

Paddy Cow wrote: »

Where do you live that you get dog sh!t on your shoes every time you go in or out? Unless I lived on a farm where animal faeces is part of the deal, I'd be getting onto the Council to sort out the problem.

did you ever try to get the council to do anything?:rolleyes:

Paddy Cow

COYVB wrote: »

Again I have to point to where I live and the slush/snow/salt issue

Ok that's understandable. It's like taking your wellies off after a day on the farm. To be honest, I have no problem with someone who wants me to take my shoes off in their house. It's not that big a deal. I just don't buy this theory that it's more hygienic. If you wipe your shoes properly (and you haven't been in an environment that is mucky etc) you are not likely to destroy the floor or infect the house with diseases.

Meangadh

Satriale wrote: »

If it was just mud they were dragging in, i would have no problem my kids crawling on/eating that, but this is dog sh1t im talking about. have you ever smelled that stuff? thats a whole other level above grubbiness!

How often are you stepping in dog sh1t?! I'm pretty sure in my 30ish years I've only done that about 4 or 5 times. Fair enough if people want to take off their shoes in their own house- I still think it's excessive but that's their choice. But asking someone to remove their shoes is pretty rude I think.

Ruu

BANG AND THE DIRT IS GONE!

Satriale

Meangadh wrote: »

How often are you stepping in dog sh1t?! I'm pretty sure in my 30ish years I've only done that about 4 or 5 times. Fair enough if people want to take off their shoes in their own house- I still think it's excessive but that's their choice. But asking someone to remove their shoes is pretty rude I think.

where did i ask anyone to remove their shoes?

up for anything

Tell her to use WD40 to remove the stain. I had a new carpet once which got plastered with Sudocrem. It was the only thing that would get it out. Left the carpet perfect.

Some12

You first need to find out if the carpets match the drapes.

Where you go from there is up to you.

dark crystal

She sounds like fun. Seriously, I have no clue why people get so hung up on OCD shite like this.

Whatever about you accidentally leaving a small stain on her precious carpet (how does she manage with kids in the house??) it was even ruder of her to call you up and embarrass you over it.

Offer to pay for the stain removal and then stay well away in the future.

Meangadh

Satriale wrote: »

where did i ask anyone to remove their shoes?

Where did I say you did? I said "people", I don't know what your particular preference is.

SomeFool

What a sad sad woman, feel sorry for her kids actually cause if she has the gall to phone her neighbour over one fecking stain she must be misery to live with.

KCC

We don't wear shoes in our house and I hate when anyone drags in dirt or when kids damage the walls, couches, etc. However, I would never mention it to their parents. As such, I wouldn't pay for it if I were you. She has been so rude. How does she know it was your son who did it anyways. I would just have innocently asked: "why are you telling me?" and then give her advice on how to remove it!

topper75

major bill wrote: »

''Take your Shoes off before you come in''

usually houses inhabited by *****!!

Unreal correlation going on there alright.

PLUG71

Tell her to claim on her house insurance!! :P

Birroc

Ericaa wrote: »

It's awesome, I wouldn't have it any other way now. I found it strange at first, but now I hate going to other people houses that have shoes worn inside...

Ericaa wrote: »

As I said though, I'm living with a Slovakian, and it's normal for him to do it this way, it probably doesn't help that he happens to be an utter clean freak though, ahaha

Being honest, this rings alarm bells to me.

miss no stars

This is why Irish people don't have nice things - nobody has any respect for them.

Your shoes are in contact with dirt and grime outside. No amount of wiping on a door mat gets them 100% clean, meaning some grime (if not dirt) will come off on the carpet. Over time, this builds up and the carpet becomes dull and grubby, even if regularly vacuumed.

Taking off shoes is a very simple way of preserving a nice and very expensive part of the house. It's done by people who have respect for the things around them and respect for the hard work it took them (or someone else) to pay for the carpet.

It's so easy, shoes off and into slippers or flip flops. People getting all offended here about how they are insulted by being asked to take off shoes in someone else's home. How about how offended the homeowner is to have people tredding grime into their nice and cared for carpet and showing no respect for their home?

There's two ways of looking at it. OP knew it is a shoes off house. If I was just stepping in for a minute I would ask if they wanted me to take them off. Real simple.

awec

miss no stars wrote: »

This is why Irish people don't have nice things - nobody has any respect for them.

Your shoes are in contact with dirt and grime outside. No amount of wiping on a door mat gets them 100% clean, meaning some grime (if not dirt) will come off on the carpet. Over time, this builds up and the carpet becomes dull and grubby, even if regularly vacuumed.

Taking off shoes is a very simple way of preserving a nice and very expensive part of the house. It's done by people who have respect for the things around them and respect for the hard work it took them (or someone else) to pay for the carpet.

It's so easy, shoes off and into slippers or flip flops. People getting all offended here about how they are insulted by being asked to take off shoes in someone else's home. How about how offended the homeowner is to have people tredding grime into their nice and cared for carpet and showing no respect for their home?

There's two ways of looking at it. OP knew it is a shoes off house. If I was just stepping in for a minute I would ask if they wanted me to take them off. Real simple.

Your carpet will get dull and grubby no matter if you wear shoes or not. No carpet is going to last forever unless you never walk on it, shoes on or not.

If the homeowner is so up tight about their carpet perhaps they should just never invite anyone over, or insist that they stand outside and they can have a conversation through the window?

Such a load of nonsense. A quick wipe on a doormat and your shoes are as clean as can be reasonably expected by anyone.

Do you put a rug under your guests before they are allowed to sit on your sofa in the interest of sofa preservation?

Friend Computer

I think if you have carpets, wearing shoes should be the last thing you should be worrying about with regards dirt. If you really cared you'd replace them with wood flooring.

Banjoxed

miss no stars wrote: »

This is why Irish people don't have nice things - nobody has any respect for them.

Your shoes are in contact with dirt and grime outside. No amount of wiping on a door mat gets them 100% clean, meaning some grime (if not dirt) will come off on the carpet. Over time, this builds up and the carpet becomes dull and grubby, even if regularly vacuumed.

Taking off shoes is a very simple way of preserving a nice and very expensive part of the house. It's done by people who have respect for the things around them and respect for the hard work it took them (or someone else) to pay for the carpet.

It's so easy, shoes off and into slippers or flip flops. People getting all offended here about how they are insulted by being asked to take off shoes in someone else's home. How about how offended the homeowner is to have people tredding grime into their nice and cared for carpet and showing no respect for their home?

There's two ways of looking at it. OP knew it is a shoes off house. If I was just stepping in for a minute I would ask if they wanted me to take them off. Real simple.

Very simple solution. Don't go into the house again. I was in a relationship for three years with a woman who had OCD about cleanliness and tidiness and would never go through that crap again. As for the woman who told the OP about "oil stains" I frankly would tell her to go and shag herself. Today's insanely clean child is tomorrow's dysfunctional and useless adult.

ronjo

Birroc wrote: »

Being honest, this rings alarm bells to me.

Why on earth would it ring alarm bells???

Its totally natural in his country.
I am not saying whether its right or wrong but for him its normal.

Birroc

ronjo wrote: »

Why on earth would it ring alarm bells???

Its totally natural in his country.
I am not saying whether its right or wrong but for him its normal.

Read it again, it's not him I am worried about.

Mince Pie

miss no stars wrote: »

This is why Irish people don't have nice things - nobody has any respect for them.

Your shoes are in contact with dirt and grime outside. No amount of wiping on a door mat gets them 100% clean, meaning some grime (if not dirt) will come off on the carpet. Over time, this builds up and the carpet becomes dull and grubby, even if regularly vacuumed.

Taking off shoes is a very simple way of preserving a nice and very expensive part of the house. It's done by people who have respect for the things around them and respect for the hard work it took them (or someone else) to pay for the carpet.

It's so easy, shoes off and into slippers or flip flops. People getting all offended here about how they are insulted by being asked to take off shoes in someone else's home. How about how offended the homeowner is to have people tredding grime into their nice and cared for carpet and showing no respect for their home?

There's two ways of looking at it. OP knew it is a shoes off house. If I was just stepping in for a minute I would ask if they wanted me to take them off. Real simple.

Do you keep slippers ready for your guests when you ask them to remove their footwear?

Pinch Flat

OK, so here's an update. Went around to survey the damage. There are what look like half a dozen spots on the carpet. Because the carpet is a very pale off-white, even looking at it is going to stain it, so they are noticeable. Stain has the consistency of gluey / oily substance. To me, it looks like perhaps the dirt from the wheel arch of a car - you know the stuff that accumulates grease and congeals with general dirt. A lot of our neighbors use a portable car wash service, so perhaps a bit of crud / grease go stuck to my runner and was walked in.

The protocol (according to Mrs Pinch Flat - who has had the odd coffee morning there) is not to remove shoes. The wimmin attending just walk through - no de-shoeing at the front door.

I have no issue with removing shoes in a house. Ironically, I would normally do this in my own, but I'm normally covered in road crud from cycling (wasn't in this particular instance), so I would leave runners at our own door. Same if I went out the back to the bins - would remove my own shoes at the back door. But that is my own routine and I don't enforce this on visitors .We have wooden floors throughout the bottom of the house, so stains are no major drama. have wiped off many a red wine stain from glasses left on the floor after a party with no issue - I certainly wouldn't ring up my guest to remind them of this.

Culturally, it's no normal for Irish people to remove shoes in the house but, as other posters have pointed out, it is common on other cultures. We've had Polish and Pakistani neighbors who will remove their shoes automatically. I totally respect this.

It may be OCD - who knows - I've a friend (a man) who (I kid you not) uses a car vac to hoover up crumbs when you visit. Both himself and his wife are germaphobes.

But at the end of the day it is their house and I've (allegedly) messed it up. I'm putting it right in the interest of good neighborly relations. Chalk it down to a lesson learned - no-one died in the end.

Pinch Flat

miss no stars wrote: »

This is why Irish people don't have nice things - nobody has any respect for them.

Your shoes are in contact with dirt and grime outside. No amount of wiping on a door mat gets them 100% clean, meaning some grime (if not dirt) will come off on the carpet. Over time, this builds up and the carpet becomes dull and grubby, even if regularly vacuumed.

Taking off shoes is a very simple way of preserving a nice and very expensive part of the house. It's done by people who have respect for the things around them and respect for the hard work it took them (or someone else) to pay for the carpet.

It's so easy, shoes off and into slippers or flip flops. People getting all offended here about how they are insulted by being asked to take off shoes in someone else's home. How about how offended the homeowner is to have people tredding grime into their nice and cared for carpet and showing no respect for their home?

There's two ways of looking at it. OP knew it is a shoes off house. If I was just stepping in for a minute I would ask if they wanted me to take them off. Real simple.

I wouldn't get hung up on the respect thing - my own personality is to respect other people's property. This was just an error on my part - waiting at the doorstep, little fella is delaying and I step into the living room to get him. Completely non-intentional. As some said earlier, sh!t happens and we have a route to put it right.

muppetkiller

Mince Pie wrote: »

Do you keep slippers ready for your guests when you ask them to remove their footwear?

My Girlfriend is Hungarian and we do have slippers for Guests.
Usually those free ones from Hotels.
We have White Tile all over the house and living in Galway it always rains ...why do we want to spend every day cleaning the house ? Anyone who walks in with shoes from the rain covers the house in a trail of dirty water and whatever else they stood on. Even after they attempt to clean them on the Mat.
I thought it was stupid at first but clean it up a few times in a week and you'll change your tune.

If I'm not mistaken in Switzerland there's a kind of personal insurance for situations like the OP has. Basically the neighbors sue each other for the cost of the repair/Cleaning

Mince Pie

If there are slippers available then I would (slightly begrudgingly) remove my shoes but I wear mine all the time even in the summer as I have very cold feet.
I am currently by a heater with two pairs of socks on and trainers and my feet feel like icicles.
I do have a problem with being doorstepped with the request to remove my shoes. If I have been invited as a guest I would prefer prior notification as I would dress accordingly.
I actually find it rather embarrassing having to remove my shoes but I don't like feet in general.

M5

We have a no shoes policy in our house. It's not a hygiene thing, more a keep the amount of cleaning to a minimum. After 1 week when you compare the floor in the hallway where shoes are used versus the other areas you see the difference. Guests are provided with slippers of course.

Common all over the world to take shoes off at the door. After seeing the difference, I can't understand why we don't do it here! You can double the length of time between cleans.