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Sort of BR: Do you wear shoes inside the house?
When I was single , I always took my shoes off when I got home. Friends saw my shoes and assumed I wanted them off. After I got married, DH just wouldn't do it, and after much complaining , I let it go. When Nathan started crawling, I was ablt to convince him that iit;s icky to wear shoes..but have trouble asking guests to take shoes their off. My inlaws are the BIGGEST offenders, and DH has asked them numerous times, but they don't get it!
If you feel the same way, how do you get people to take their shoes off (without using a "please remove your shoes" sign!)?
If you do wear shoes at home, are you offended when others ask you to remove your shoes?
Am I overthinking this ? 
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Re: Sort of BR: Do you wear shoes inside the house?
We take our shoes off, and really, it is a good idea. I saw something on Good Morning America or some show like that and they were talking about all of the crap you can track in and it grossed me out.
That said, I usually dont' ask people to take off their shoes, but most people just do. My friend has a big basket of slippers and heavy socks and stuff by the door and just asks everyone to take tehir shoes off, but gives you something to put on your feet if you want. I think that's nice.
I have another friend with a sign outside her door - they actually take their shoes off and leave them outside (which I think is weird) and they have a rock that is by the door that says to take your shoes off.
Your ILs need to understand that it's your house, and your rules, and if they want to come in, they have to take their shoes off. Maybe do some Google research about all of the nasty stuff they can track in and print it out for them.
Well, I'm part Asian so it's just a cultural thing for me not to have shoes worn inside the house. What exactly happens when your IL's come over? Do you or DH ask them to remove their shoes right then? Do they just not listen? I'm confuzzled.
I would just greet people at the door, ask them politely if they would please remove their shoes before entering, and don't let them past you until they do.
cwhip, I'm Asian too (Sri Lankan) Maybe that's why it's a big deal for me. re. my inlaws..At first they wouldn't take their shoes off at all. Then DH had ANOtHER talk with them, and they would wear their shoes inside, walk to the sofa, and then take their shoes off. Today, they came over to baby sit, and wore shoes all over the house...Sigh...
It was a huge battle, getting them to wash their hands before touching Nathan, when he was a baby. Even after he was hospitalized for RSV, DH had to have 3-4 conversations and they still wouldn't do it. I had to be blunt and say "please wash your hands" when they tried to hold him.
We keep our shoes on, but that's because we have 2 huge dogs that track all kinds of stuff in the house. I DO vaccum every day, and sometimes twice.
When people come over, I tell them they can leave their shoes on (so their socks don't get dirty), or they can take them off. When I go to other people's houses I always take them off.
DH has been training me to do it. I totally see the reasons to, but I just feel like I am in "get stuff done" mode when I have shoes on so sometimes I'm reluctant to take them off. But we're trying to be a shoes-off household to prepare for the baby.
That said, we won't ask other people to take them off.??Our friends often do for their own comfort, but my dad is an amputee and it's not possible for him to take his shoes off so... ?we just figure that "most of the time" is better than "none of the time" and we'll give a good mop after company goes home.
Do you have a bench by the door where they can sit to take shoes off? That may help to encourage them.?
TTC #2 for a million years: SA normal, CD 23 bloodwork shows nothing amiss, ovulation detected. Next step: ? maybe CD3 bloodwork to check eggs? All out of pocket, so limited IF tests/treatments.
We always take our shoes off in other people houses just to be safe (and polite)
We wear shoes inside our house. Not all evening, but we wear them when we first get home, walking around a bit. I personally wouldn't put a sign up in my house even if I had a strict no-shoes policy. I follow cues at other peoples' houses and take mine off if that's what they do.
We have a "no shoes" rule. We have a bench in our entry and a place for shoes there. Megan even removes her shoes (and coat) before going past the entry.
HOWEVER, DH does not take his shoes off. He is disabled and without his shoes (which brace his left foot) he would need to use his wheelchair as opposed to walking. He tracks all sorts of crap in (we have a gravel driveway because we live on acreage) and I get REALLY annoyed by it. What can I say though?
Steal my kids picture or pretend they are yours, I will find where you live and ship all of their dirty diapers to your doorstep. Promise.
Thanks for the input! I'm with you on NOT asking people to take shoes off if they are guests. If they ask, I tell him we do take 'em off because of the baby. If people come over dressed in cocktail dresses and high heels, of course I'm not asking them to take their shoes off! I guess I was just pissed about my in laws:)
So do you have a bench by the door where they can take their shoes off? Maybe that would help? If they're semi-willing to take them off at the couch, maybe since they're not comfortable balancing on one foot to get their shoes off. ANd maybe you could buy them some special slippers just for them to have at your house so they arent' "barefoot" and would feel more comfortable?
I didn't read the other responses, so this may be redundan, but...
We are easing into a no shoes policy, but we have a dog, so the main point is to preserve the finish on the floors (i have to clean them less often, but the same junk is getting tracked in). We have a basket of slippers and slipper socks and a shoe shelf for our and guest shoes.
You could buy some of those shoe covers doctors and realtors wear, and offer them to your ils that won't take off their shoes!