Shoes Off Rule? Just Wonderin'

[grumpy0374]

Originally Posted by Rich-n-Linda

This is one of those "procedures" that I think is absolutely ridiculous. What do you think you're "protecting" by taking your shoes off? It's a FLOOR, for cryin' out loud.

We've tracked dirt, gravel and mud into our coach dozens of times. Ever hear of a carpet sweeper or a mop? It cleans up the stuff in less than 5 minutes.

X2!!! Next thing required is going to be a full slip over body suit so dust and lint dont intrude, and a face shield/face mask so no "nasty" germs get in. Rubber gloves supplied so no one leaves fingerprints??? Plastic covers on the furniture so no one comes in contact with the cloth/pleather??? Slip on potty seat covers so you don't leave "butt" germs???
Grumpy

[okcnewbie]

An extra welcome mat or towel and one of the golf shoe scrubbers would take care of almost everything that could be tracked in.

That would give you time to clean each paw of the furry friends before they tracked something in.

http://amzn.com/B001HX37MM


Of course if this is more about " My house, my rules. " ...........

[Danielsand]

Interesting thread. Very amusing to see how we are all different in things we do, and yet so similar in our lifestyles.

'Shoes off', or 'shoes on'....."friends are more important than the floor",...."floor is made to walk on with shoes".....

Just like we all pick the coach that suits our lifestyle/personality, we all do things differently inside, and outside our rigs.

We don't camp in any parks, resorts, or camp grounds. We don't come in contact with other people in RVs. Friends that we visit with our coach have MUCH bigger homes to entertain, than our few square feet between our dining booth, and our kitchen counter. Our coach is "traveling coach", and not "parked entertainer/party coach". Sometimes we make breakfast in the coach (on the road), we sleep in it every night, and I take a shower in it every night, and every morning (wife prefers to take a shower at the friends house). She showers in the coach if we are on the road, and not parked at the friend's place. We also have dogs. Big (sometimes) muddy dogs. We also have our solution for that.

There are heavy duty rubber mats, that are carpeted on one side, with heavily ribbed commercial style carpet. Our floor is mostly marble, with carpet in between the couches, in the cockpit, and in the bedroom. We have expensive decorative runners throughout the coach. Runners are too delicate to expose to dirty paws. So when we are on the way, we roll up the runners, and cover the floor with those heavy duty mats. They are so heavy that they don't slide at all. Dogs are very surefooted on them. And they trap mud, rocks, grass etc. VERY well. Each mat was precisely cut to fit in it's "assigned" place. They fit like a glove.

Once we get where we are going, mats stay down only if the weather is bad. Otherwise, we pick up the mats (rinse them off with the hose, and dry them out), and they are ready for the next leg of the journey. We also carry Kirby on board, and the coach gets vacuumed once a day (rain or shine). Our S&B is on the horse ranch (a lot of rain this "spring"). Luckily we have rather large mud room, and that's where the shoes come off, and the dogs stay until they dry out. EVERYONE entering the main house in the rainy weather takes their shoes off, or "no entry". No exceptions.

I take MY shoes off, in my coach all the time. I have oil, diesel, and you name it on my shoes. I walk on truck stops, public bathrooms (sometimes), Walmart, Flying J dump stations, and on the filthy streets of some filthy cities. No shoes in my house (or my coach). Sometimes I have a piece of gum stuck to my shoes without even knowing it. "Shoes off" for me and wife. I have a comfortable pair of easy on - easy off shoes in the entry way, just for driving. She does too.

I envy everyone that loves people (friends) more than their health. Germ infested shoes in such a confined place like MH, could be deadly. I don't know another person (except my wife) who's interests I would put before mine. If friends want to walk through my coach just after they finished dumping their black tanks at the dumping station,.......they are no friends of mine.

[CLIFFTALL]

We always remove our shoes and most visitors who see ours outside remove theirs. We didn't insist on others removing them unless the campground was dirty or wet .
One time as we crossed back into the US from Canada it was pouring and when the border guard wanted to enter the MH , my DW informed her that she needed to remove her boots and raincoat She leaned in and looked around from the steps and waived us through.

[Easyrider]

Originally Posted by Barbara S.

I'm sorry but I have only had one person mention "shoes off" and therefore I did not go in their coach. I cannot easily remove my shoes and put them back on. I am disabled and need to be wearing my shoes with the special inserts. They are lace up shoes and because my feet are wrapped with first aid tape I have to use a shoe horn to get shoes on my feet. Once I got the shoes off, I would not be able to put them back on if I were standing outside an RV.
Love me......love my shoes.

Of course there are exceptions to every rule! We don't ask anyone to remove their shoes and we have friends who do. We know they ask that so we automatically take ours off if invited in. And they take theirs off if invited into ours- without us asking. We prefer our friends to be comfortable. I asked my wife about this just now and she said it's not a big deal. We have a big outdoor mat outside, she vacuums every once in a while depending on how much stuff is getting tracked in, and shampoos a couple times a year. Everyone we travel with pretty much knows enough to take their shoes off when entering if the weather is really bad and everything is sticking to their shoes.

As for the fella that wouldn't take his shoes off even after being asked- my next question for him would be asking him to leave! After all, the only reason I would be asking would be because his shoes were messy, and it's our motorhome, not his!

[gacamp]

Well now deadly germ infested shoes, I had never thought of that! I must have lived a sheltered live in my 65 years as I have never run into any one that did not allow shoes in their house, never. I grew up on a farm in farm country but people were fastidious house keepers but did not freak out about shoes.

In my MH come on in and be comfortable. Most of the people we will have in our coach are fellow RV'rs who know if their shoes are wet or muddy it's best to leave them outside or wipe on the rugs.

Actually I would rather have you in shoes than your dirty feet or smelly socks, anybody ever heard of athletes foot or toe nail fungus.

To the OP your coach your rules tell him to take them off or leave, simple.

[Mr_D]

Our rig came with a nice fitted and bound heavy duty carpet in the front with step cover down the stairs so we don't worry too much about something tracking in on the tile. The carpet comes up and can be washed with a hose. A wet Swiffer takes care of the tile.

[ABrask]

Originally Posted by Clifftall

We always remove our shoes and most visitors who see ours outside remove theirs. We didn't insist on others removing them unless the campground was dirty or wet .
One time as we crossed back into the US from Canada it was pouring and when the border guard wanted to enter the MH , my DW informed her that she needed to remove her boots and raincoat She leaned in and looked around from the steps and waived us through.

Clifftall has it right, as far as I'm concerned. My wife and I decided long ago to not be "those" parents/grandparents/friends. We take our own shoes off, and most of our guests follow our lead, but we'd never say a thing if they didn't, and even when people ask, we are quick to say they're welcome to keep them on. It's just easier to do a quick clean up after guests have left than to be left with the feeling that we've embarrassed or inconvenienced a visitor. And, in particular, we want our grandchildren to remember us as more than a list of rules or expectations. But that's just us. Everyone gets to make their own rules in these matters.

[530ktm]

We always remove our shoes, boots or what ever is on our feet. We never insist on guests to do the same, they are welcome to do what they like and most remove shoes. I do not like to walk around in my coach while in my socks and step on small pebbles or goat heads, etc. which is why we remove shoes after walking around outside. I do have driving shoes I keep under the dash area, my indoor shoes. We do not even wear our everyday shoes in our home. After walking around parking lots through grease, gum, spit and everything else I personally do not want to track all that crap into the place that I call home. My last 1997 Adventurer motorhome looked brand new inside, even the carpet, just like my home.

[grumpy0374]

When I was a wee tyke I remember going over to the grandparents, aunt n uncles. They all had plastic covers on all the chairs and sofa, plastic runners on carpet. Me and the other kids were sent outside to play or to the basement. We were never allowed to sit or play in any room that might get "dirty".
I vowed never to have a "house" like that, but rather a "home" where guests could feel comfortable and welcome, wet or dry, flip flops or shoes, whatever!!!
Same for our Lexi. Wife and I want guests to feel welcome. We don't obsess over a bit of dirt or "stuff" on the floor, as we sweep every day, and swifter every other day.
A nick or scratch is something that can be repaired. We bought it to have fun in, enjoy it, and show it off to guests. .They get the recliners, and I'll sit at the table.
Last thing I'm concerned with is "resale value" as if we sell it, it will mean I'm to far gone to drive it anymore.
It's our "home", not our "house"
Grumpy

[TonyDi]

When I am on the road I treat my coach just as if it were my home. Muddy shoes take them off, sandy shoes take them off. But I keep my shoes on in my RV. It's my home, not a museum.

[Hammer bird]

Just wondering - shoes off group - do you provide slippers for your guests? After all being barefoot or in socks isn't very appealing (even in my own home!) And it's sorta icky to sit next to someones stinky feet!

[wrvond]

I am diabetic and my feet and joints are a mess. I have also lived in Hawaii and Japan. To be invited into somebody's home (whether mobile or not) is an honor, not a right. To remove my street shoes is simply respectful. I also refrain from rifling through their drawers, closets and cabinets. I don't jump on their bed, either.
If I'm having a particularly "bad" day and can't face taking off my shoes, I'll suggest simply sitting outside.
At my house if you don't have enough respect for me to abide by my rules the best thing is for you to move on.

[spsm]

I have about as much luck walking into our house or home (S & B or RV ) wearing shoes as I would have, using the bathroom while standing.