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Please Remove Shoes - High Heels and Hardwood Floors Don't Mix

By Jeff Pearl

Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA

March 25, 2013 11:22 PM

I've heard about this more frequently lately, where Stiletto and other high heels are leaving dents and scratches in hardwood floors. Many of the hardwood floors sold today are actually quite soft. High heels can do more damage that a dog with long nails.

One agent I know who lived in Sterling area had to have her hardwood floors replaced when she went to sell her house. Over the years the dents and scratches from high heels had done more damage than what she had thought, and it made more sense to just replace the floors than to try to sand them and refinish them.

I just saw another post from an agent asking " Does anyone know how to get high heel dents and scratches out of hardwood floors"? Apparently this is a more common of a problem than I thought.

I know many agents hate to see that sign " Please Remove Shoes", but in some cases there is a legitimate reason for asking people to remove their shoes, and high heels and hardwood floors look like a legitimate reason! The link below offers some tips on how to remove dents from hardwood floors.

high

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-fix-dents-in-wooden-floors-furniture-with-an-iron-166696

Jeff Pearl / Lic in VA

Remax Distinctive - Reston VA

703-727-4876

Homes / Land / Farms / Historic

www.jeffpearlhomes.com

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Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED

RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

And those dogs whose owners don't clip their nails for them can be another floor scratcher. Good post, good reminder. On vacant houses, I can always tell who had dogs.

Mar 26, 2013 12:16 PM

Myrl Jeffcoat

Sacramento, CA

Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

An excellent reminder and advice about high heals and flooring. My own home had to have the kitchen flooring replaced because of my own mischief with shoes. I'm mainly a "no shoes" gal around my home.

Mar 26, 2013 12:28 PM

Kim Boekholder Utah Real Estate/ PECO

Results Real Estate 801.580.5624 - Draper, UT

Broker Results Real Estate/Leasing Specialist PECO

Great advice. Our hardwood floors were already beat up When we bought our house but I will Remember this when I get my hardwood floors Refinished no more high heels

Mar 26, 2013 12:55 PM

Joan Whitebook

BHG The Masiello Group - Nashua, NH

Consumer Focused Real Estate Services

Forget the hardwood floors.. those types of very high heels are horrible for women. My cousins who are orthopedic surgeons warn that anything over 2 inches is too high. It cause all sorts of problems for women... including uterine, spinal and other problems.

Mar 26, 2013 01:03 PM

Praful Thakkar

LAER Realty Partners - Burlington, MA

Metro Boston Homes For Sale

May be, I am lucky - our religious belief prohibits us from wearing shoes in the house, let alone high heels! (And at times, I have to request my guests to REMOVE SHOES when they visit us....and I know they may not like it.)

Mar 26, 2013 02:31 PM

Wika Hutchinson

Eugene, OR

Broker, CRIS, SFR, CDPE

We have hardwood flooring throughout the house, and I haven't noticed marks from my high heels. After I read this post, I went ahead and check the floor again. Fortunately, we don't have the soft type, so we are good.

Mar 26, 2013 04:05 PM

Charita Cadenhead

eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL

Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

I would have never thought of this and when daylight comes, I will have a look at my floor as it is entirely harwwood except basement.

Mar 26, 2013 06:48 PM

Debbie Gartner

The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY

The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Yes, high heels, as well as all shoes can do damage to hardwood floors. Usually, the issues are not the shoes themselves, but what gets caught in them (or as Lenn mentioned, the nails coming through the rubber. It's amazing how much longer the floor lasts w/ my customers who remove their shoes.

Oh, and usually, the solution is to sand & refinish the floors (assuming they are solid hardwood).

Mar 26, 2013 07:12 PM

Jeff Pearl

RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA

Full Service Full Time Realtor

#1- Hi Lenn, Sounds like an expensive party. Seems like many people don't think about possible damage until it's too late.

#2- Hi Tammie, I guess people could put down some area or throw rugs if they plan on having a party to protect floors. Thanks!

#3- Hi Mike, Yes, those old hardwood floors were very hard. Those pre-finished one many people use today seem to have a much softer surface and finish.

#4- Hi Marc, That's true. I guess even some of the old wide pine floors could have the same problem. People just need to know their floors.

#5- Hi Kathy, I can understand how she felt. I would hope most people would understand how she felt.

#6- Hi Carla, Yes, dogs can leave lots of scratches. ( kids too) and furniture draggers.

#7- Hi Myrl, Yes, kitchen floors get a lot of traffic. And also linoleum can easily get puntures from high heels.

#8- Hi Kim, Thanks! Yes, sounds like a good idea to request shoe removal. Might have to keep several pairs of slippers in the closet for guests?

#9- Hi Joan, I agree. I don't know how women walk in some of those high heels. My back hurts just looking at them!

#10- Hi Praful, Religious reasons is another reason people ned to respect the" No Shoes" request! Thanks.

#11- Hi Wiki, That's good. Hardwoods vary in duarability so much, many people never realize the difference in types of " hardwoods".

#12- Hi Charita, Yes, sunlight will really make scratches and dents stand out. Hopeyours are ok!

#13- Hi Debbie, I didn't realize that they still use nails to hold those rubber tips on. Recipe for damage. thanks!

Mar 26, 2013 09:26 PM

Mark Robinson

Geneva Financial, LLC - Beachwood, NJ

Honesty, Integrity, Service

I have clients who ask me to remove my shoes when taking an application. I definitely understand as the new laminates are soft. it's a good idea to make sure you never wear socks with holes!

My house is older and the hardwood flooring is actually... hardwood flooring! Shoes will not damage it at all.

Mar 26, 2013 09:52 PM

Edward Gilmartin

CRE - Boston, MA

It is a good idea to cover all hardwood floos with area rugs anyway.

Mar 26, 2013 10:00 PM

William James Walton Sr.

WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Briotti Group - Waterbury, CT

Greater Waterbury Real Estate

Who would have thought that shoes could do so much damage to a floor? Thanks for the tip.

Mar 26, 2013 10:45 PM

Jeff Pearl

RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA

Full Service Full Time Realtor

#15- Hi Mark, I previewed a listing last night, good thing owners weren't worried about shoes, because both of my socks had holes in the heel. Some of those old ash and aok hardwood floors you can hit with a hammer and not leave a dent.

#16- Hi Edward, I think I do notice that with most hardwood floors, but many builders are putting hardwood in kitchens where many people don't want rugs. thanks.

#17- Hi William, I agree. I've seen many scratched from pets, but never really paid attenttion to dents from high heels.

Mar 26, 2013 11:29 PM

Fernando Herboso - Associate Broker MD, & VA

Maxus Realty Group of Samson Properties - Clarksburg, MD

301-246-0001 Serving Maryland, DC and Northern VA

I will make a priority from now on. .every time I see a girl in stilettos. .I'll make sure they have rubbers. .before we show them houses. .

Thank you for the tip!

Mar 26, 2013 11:29 PM

Michael J. Perry

KW Elite - Lancaster, PA

Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist

Still laughing at #19 's comment ! But it's true our Golden Retriver's nails have nicked up our floors alittle.

Mar 27, 2013 12:29 AM

Ruthmarie Hicks

Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605 - White Plains, NY

I will be the naysayer here. I WILL NOT remove my shoes. EVER. And don't ask me to wear booties that make me slide all over the floor either. You won't find me wearing high heels though. I have a collapsed arch that requires strong support and orthotics. I DO wipe my feet before entering a home and my shoes always have rubber soles. Since soooo many home owners are making this request demand -even when their floors are in crappy shape - that doing so is a knee replacement waiting to happen. That bad instep on stairs isn't just uncomfortable, it does damage when that demand is made repeatedly. My knees are worth more than the damage my rubber soles could ever do to anyone's floor. There are reasons why some people can not remove shoes. I think its disrespectful of people's physical issues to make this demand.

Mar 27, 2013 04:39 AM

Jeff Pearl

RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA

Full Service Full Time Realtor

#19- Hi Fernando- One more thing for agents to do. " Would you like me to hold your Stilettos"?

#20- Hi michael, Larger dogs can do lots of damage.

Mar 27, 2013 05:50 AM

Jeff Pearl

RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA

Full Service Full Time Realtor

#21- Hi Ruthmarie, Well, a medical or health issue would most likely be acceptable. I have seen some houses that were in such bad shape and filthy that I doubt anyone would remove their shoes.

Mar 27, 2013 06:11 AM

Kevin Mackessy

Blue Olive Properties, LLC - Highlands Ranch, CO

Dedicated. Qualified. Local.

It should just be a simple courtesy to remove your shoes when you are doing a showing. The sign certainly helps enforce the rule. It would be a shame to have hardwoods ruined by several pairs of high heels.

Mar 27, 2013 06:22 AM

Inna Ivchenko

Barcode Properties - Encino, CA

Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

I think it is true: floor damage from heels is common.

But some buyers simply refuse to remove their shoes to have shoe covers. It is hard for me to understand why( unless it is very dirty).

Jun 08, 2014 05:01 PM