Shoes on the coffee table

cantdecide

An etiquette vs hygiene question for the room.

My friend and housemate will come in to our main living room wearing anything from his formal office shoes to runners or work books and will pop his feet up on our shared coffee table and will leave them there for extended periods of time. It’s a cheap piece of furniture that he bought so this is strictly a hygiene issue in a shared space to me.

I’m appalled he does this at all, but especially since I’ve asked him not to and have fought with him about it on other occasion. The couch reclines and as far as I’m concerned, this is why we have foot stools.

Am I out of order pushing this issue?

Outkast_IRE

Ye are both out of order wearing your shoes beyond the hall and front door. Dragging in filthy Street dirt all over the house . Take your shoes off at the front door and problem solved.

Bob Harris

cantdecide wrote: »

Am I out of order pushing this issue?

I cantdecide.

KaneToad

cantdecide wrote: »

An etiquette vs hygiene question for the room.

My friend and housemate will come in to our main living room wearing anything from his formal office shoes to runners or work books and will pop his feet up on our shared coffee table and will leave them there for extended periods of time. It’s a cheap piece of furniture that he bought so this is strictly a hygiene issue in a shared space to me.

I’m appalled he does this at all, but especially since I’ve asked him not to and have fought with him about it on other occasion. The couch reclines and as far as I’m concerned, this is why we have foot stools.

Am I out of order pushing this issue?

It would seem that he bought it for this purpose. He wants something to put his feet up on. You don't have an issue with the concept of putting your feet up - but you just don't approve of the piece of furniture being used? I would think that you shouldn't be pushing the issue...

cantdecide

KaneToad wrote: »

It would seem that he bought it for this purpose. He wants something to put his feet up on. You don't have an issue with the concept of putting your feet up - but you just don't approve of the piece of furniture being used? I would think that you shouldn't be pushing the issue...

So I just need to replace the coffee table so I can dictate the level of hygiene standards in our shared house. Well it’s an option I suppose

Mimon

KaneToad wrote: »

It would seem that he bought it for this purpose. He wants something to put his feet up on. You don't have an issue with the concept of putting your feet up - but you just don't approve of the piece of furniture being used? I would think that you shouldn't be pushing the issue...

It's a table in a shared space though. It would be used for putting drinks and snacks in most places. Very unhygienic to use it as a footrest especially with footwear worn outside.

Wearing shoes into the house that you have worn outside on the street is disgusting

KaneToad

cantdecide wrote: »

So I just need to replace the coffee table so I can dictate the level of hygiene standards in our shared house. Well it’s an option I suppose

Why is it unhygienic to put feet on his coffee table but not unhygienic to put them on a footstool?

I assume you don't eat off either?

Is the real issue that his preferred choice of 'footstool' is a coffee table that takes up too much of the limited real estate in the room?

bubblypop

bubblypop wrote: »

Wearing shoes into the house that you have worn outside on the street is disgusting

This. Think about how gross it is for a second. This problem starts way before it gets to the coffee table!

Mimon

bubblypop wrote: »

Wearing shoes into the house that you have worn outside on the street is disgusting

Yeh, I've gone down this route in the last few years, leave them at the door.

Remember living in Holland and would always have to have non holey matching socks as they all do this.

EmmetSpiceland

He should get a footstool for his feet. Whatever about taking your shoes off at the door, feet on a coffee table is rank.

Socked feet on a table would bother just as much. There’s stools and foot rests you can get easily enough for that purpose.

Purple is a Fruit

God that's just rude. Take off shoes if putting your feet on furniture, jeez (preferably don't put feet up on a coffee table either way).

But shoes inside the house (obviously not ones covered in muck) is not "disgusting" ffs. That's just a hysterical bandwagon. Perfect example of "someone somewhere said something - I'd better agree with it".

Putting on slippers for comfort when you get home is a different matter. I do that. But I wouldn't dream of telling guests to take their shoes off (unless, again, covered in muck). Wipe your shoes on the mat, that's loads. I regularly use a sweeping brush, dustpan and brush, hoover, mop and disinfectant to address invisible dirt.

iamwhoiam

There is a family on Gogglebox who have a plate of cakes on a footstool in every episode . And in every episode their feet are also on the footstool with shoe soles within millimetres of the cakes. It makes me shiver to see it

Stihl waters

bubblypop wrote: »

Wearing shoes into the house that you have worn outside on the street is disgusting

The vast majority of normal people think differently

biko

Get a newspaper.
Roll it up.
Hit him over the head while shouting "bad!, bad!"

Irish Stones

Stihl waters wrote: »

The vast majority of normal people think differently

I know nobody that wear shoes (that have been worn outdoors) indoors.

Bust up the coffee table with an axe.
In front of him.
.

Stihl waters

Stihl waters wrote: »

The vast majority of normal people think differently

Are you trying to say I'm not normal??

No they actually dont.
Visit most houses outside of Ireland and you won't see outdoor shoes worn inside the house.

alchemist33

Stihl waters wrote: »

The vast majority of normal people think differently

Indeed. It's like some people think any house where people wear shoes indoors is going to be struck down with a plague

xhomelezz

MikeOxsgreen wrote: »

Bust up the coffee table with an axe.
In front of him.
.

Just wait till he puts his feet up!

Dtp1979

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

Ye are both out of order wearing your shoes beyond the hall and front door. Dragging in filthy Street dirt all over the house . Take your shoes off at the front door and problem solved.

We’re not living in Japan chief. Shoes on the table, god no

Purple is a Fruit

This is Ireland though - I do not know one person here who is precious enough to request that people take their shoes off in their homes (unless covered in muck - but the wearers of such shoes don't have to be asked as it goes without saying). And it's never been expected of me abroad either.

alchemist33

Irish Stones wrote: »

I know nobody that wear shoes (that have been worn outdoors) indoors.

I know nobody who leaves their shoes inside the door. Looks like the Venn diagram of people we know has two circles miles apart

Treppen

alchemist33 wrote: »

Indeed. It's like some people think any house where people wear shoes indoors is going to be struck down with a plague

Well there is dog###t everywhere.
Even if you avoid the turds just remember when it rains those turds dissipate all over the path.

EmmetSpiceland

Purple is a Fruit wrote: »

This is Ireland though - I do not know one person here who is precious enough to request that people take their shoes off in their homes (unless covered in muck - but the wearers of such shoes don't have to be asked as it goes without saying). And it's never been expected of me abroad either.

Have to do it in a mate of mine’s house. His wife isn’t Irish so I think it’s her “call”.

Doesn’t bother me, their house their rules.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

It’s his coffee table. He can ejaculate over it if he so pleases.

On the subject of outdoor shoes inside.. I don’t think it’s disgusting, but I love strutting around the house in my socks & sliders like a boss. When I finish work it’s straight into the shorts or sweats, weather dependent.

Stihl waters

Irish Stones wrote: »

I know nobody that wear shoes (that have been worn outdoors) indoors.

You must have a very small circle of weird friends

Stihl waters

Irish Stones wrote: »

I know nobody that wear shoes (that have been worn outdoors) indoors.

bubblypop wrote: »

Are you trying to say I'm not normal??

No they actually dont.
Visit most houses outside of Ireland and you won't see outdoor shoes worn inside the house.

Other countries good, Ireland bad, gotcha. Moronic argument to be fair

Taking shoes off at the door is for the English. Anybody asked to should just do a 180 and get back in the car.

Leg End Reject

I'd rather walk whatever invisible things are on my shoes around the house until I change into about-the-house clothes, than have shoes and slippers strewn inside the front door.

That craic is grand if you have a mud room, but not in most houses.

alchemist33

alchemist33 wrote: »

Indeed. It's like some people think any house where people wear shoes indoors is going to be struck down with a plague

Or they might feel that dragging crap from the streets around the floors of their home is just gross.

xhomelezz

Stihl waters wrote: »

Other countries good, Ireland bad, gotcha. Moronic argument to be fair

Nah, just more civilized.

Purple is a Fruit

bubblypop wrote: »

Or they might feel that dragging crap from the streets around the floors of their home is just gross.

Oh god if there's crap on shoes of course they should be taken off.

Stihl waters

Stihl waters wrote: »

Other countries good, Ireland bad, gotcha. Moronic argument to be fair

So I'm not normal and I am a moron?
Because I don't believe in walking outside crap around inside the house?
Good reasoning there

o1s1n

Purple is a Fruit wrote: »

Oh god if there's crap on shoes of course they should be taken off.

There are all kinds of things on your shoe soles that you're walking all over the house. You could have inadvertently walked through some scumbags spit he coughed up and didn't notice.

I would never ask guests to remove shoes but have gotten into the habit of it myself and yeah, it does seem a little bit mank to be walking on the streets and then walking all over your floors/carpets.

Stihl waters

bubblypop wrote: »

So I'm not normal and I am a moron?
Because I don't believe in walking outside crap around inside the house?
Good reasoning there

Do you change all your outdoor clothes when you go indoors as well, youd never know what you'd have brushed off that could wipe out your entire household

o1s1n

Stihl waters wrote: »

Do you change all your outdoor clothes when you go indoors as well, youd never know what you'd have brushed off that could wipe out your entire household

Do you often roll around on the ground when you go outside?

Leg End Reject

Why the paranoia about germs? Most of us have a functioning immune system.

The power of marketing has a lot of people believing they need to sanitise surfaces in their homes, keep it clean and cut back on the chemicals. Humans would be extinct for millenia if they were necessary.

o1s1n

Leg End Reject wrote: »

Why the paranoia about germs? Most of us have a functioning immune system.

The power of marketing has a lot of people believing they need to sanitise surfaces in their homes, keep it clean and cut back on the chemicals. Humans would be extinct for millenia if they weren necessary.

It's not paranoia about germs, I just am not too fond of the idea of having what's on the street walked all over my house. Simple as that really.

xhomelezz

o1s1n wrote: »

There are all kinds of things on your shoe soles that you're walking all over the house. You could have inadvertently walked through some scumbags spit he coughed up and didn't notice.

I would never ask guests to remove shoes but have gotten into the habit of it myself and yeah, it does seem a little bit mank to be walking on the streets and then walking all over your floors/carpets.

I think it's fine to ask anyone to take off shoes when they walk in. Best scenario is to have clean slippers ready for guests.

Stihl waters

xhomelezz wrote: »

Nah, just more civilized.

Obviously, care to point out which countries are more civilised than our own little country or is your default position the self hating Irish person that's surprisingly common on boards these days

o1s1n

xhomelezz wrote: »

I think it's fine to ask anyone to take off shoes when they walk in. Best scenario is to have clean slippers ready for guests.

That's where We'll disagree I'm afraid!

Its seen as rude in Irish culture, if someone is coming to my house they're doing me a favour by visiting, don't want to be putting them out/making them feel uncomfortable or insulted.

Stihl waters

Stihl waters wrote: »

Do you change all your outdoor clothes when you go indoors as well, youd never know what you'd have brushed off that could wipe out your entire household

Well I don't be rolling around on the streets where someone spat, or pissed or some dog ****.
But tbh, I do wear different clothes inside, shorts, tracksuit bottoms etc
Is that abnormal too?

Leg End Reject

xhomelezz wrote: »

I think it's fine to ask anyone to take off shoes when they walk in. Best scenario is to have clean slippers ready for guests.

And wash them after they leave? A selection of sizes ready and waiting at the front door? What if a guest has Athlete's foot or a verruca? Or smelly shoes left festering at your door to stink out your hall?

Stihl waters

o1s1n wrote: »

Do you often roll around on the ground when you go outside?

Read my post again, if you're going to try to look intelligent try to get the content right, I never mentioned rolling on the ground

xhomelezz

Stihl waters wrote: »

Obviously, care to point out which countries are more civilised than our own little country or is your default position the self hating Irish person that's surprisingly common on boards these days

Just replied to your post

"Other countries good, Ireland bad, gotcha. Moronic argument to be fair."

o1s1n

Stihl waters wrote: »

Read my post again, if you're going to try to look intelligent try to get the content right, I never mentioned rolling on the ground

I just read your post again, yep, still had no bearing on the discussion unless you're doing the same thing with your clothes that you're doing with your shoes.

Hence why I inferred that you must roll around on the ground a lot.

Timberrrrrrrr

bubblypop wrote: »

Well I don't be rolling around on the streets where someone spat, or pissed or some dog ****.
But tbh, I do wear different clothes inside, shorts, tracksuit bottoms etc
Is that abnormal too?

I thought it was just me that did this lol.

EmmetSpiceland

Leg End Reject wrote: »

Why the paranoia about germs? Most of us have a functioning immune system.

The power of marketing has a lot of people believing they need to sanitise surfaces in their homes, keep it clean and cut back on the chemicals. Humans would be extinct for millenia if they were necessary.

Who knows, without walking all this “crap” into the house there could have a negative effect on building up your immune system.

Stihl waters

bubblypop wrote: »

Well I don't be rolling around on the streets where someone spat, or pissed or some dog ****.
But tbh, I do wear different clothes inside, shorts, tracksuit bottoms etc
Is that abnormal too?

Not at all, if they're dirty take them off, do you put your feet on surfaces you regularly touch or lick, it could be a symptom of ineffective cleaning of surfaces or lacking in personal hygiene if what's on the sole of your shoe ends up on your kitchen countertop

o1s1n

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Who knows, without walking all this “crap” into the house there could have a negative effect on building up your immune system.

So a major part of a strong immune system is having watery dog ****e and scumbag phlegm on your carpets?

Who knew!