If you search the forum, shoe covers are highly recommended. They eliminate the need to ask people to take off their shoes (something many folks simply will not do) and keeps outdoor dirt to a minimum. A note on the door asking to put on the booties over shoes and only allow viewers one entry point into the house. Have a trash can on the way out so people can dispose of used booties. If you have access to the backyard via the house, and people will exit/re-enter the house from that point, a trash can and more booties would be necessary at that entry/exit too.

Another frequent suggestion is plastic runner on new or just-cleaned carpeting clean.

Just a suggestion -- if you're going to ask people to remove their shoes or put booties over the shoes, please have a chair or bench nearby. Since I had a stroke a number of years ago, my balance is impaired and I would really need a place to sit down, there may be buyers in the same situation I'm in.

^^^^ I agree with that!

If there is no place for me to sit and put my shoes back on, I'll NEVER take them off.

^^^^^ I third the suggestion for a bench or place to sit. ^^^^

I think the point is, if you're going to make un-common demands on people, you need to make it comfortable for them to follow through. Having a box of shoes covers by the door isn't enough.

We bought some of these, but they do not fit on some of the boots that the workers wear. They would work for regular shoes though. That is a good price on the web site though. Our workers who are able to use them like to take them with them to use at other houses.

I had several workmen in my house (installing new windows) shortly after I had wall to wall carpeting installed. I waited almost 15 years for that carpeting! I brought up the subject with DH, who brought home something similar to the shoe covers. He works in an industrial setting so the covers he brought home worked on boots. He said none of the workers balked at the request, and my carpeting came through unscathed.

The guy who checks the air conditioner every year always puts those booties over his shoes whenever he comes in the house.

I remarked about them and he gave me a couple of pairs. I use them when I garden and the phone rings or I have to go into the house briefly for some reason.

Contractors may have to wear their shoes--their insurance might require shoes, even steel-toed shoes, to prevent injury. You can ask them to wear shoe covers, but make sure that the shoe covers don't slip on your flooring. If the contractors will be in and out of the house several times, they would have to put on and take off the shoe covers multiple times. It might be easier all around to cover the flooring with plastic runners or large drop cloths in that case.

For agents and buyers, the shoe covers would work, along with a chair or bench. Again, make sure that the covers do not make the stairs slippery. After taking my shoes off at one house I was looking at, and coming out with unidentifiable goo on my socks, I don't take my shoes off when viewing houses.

I had many rooms in my house painted. I was replacing a vanity in a bathroom and the carpenter had to remove a door to fit it though a room. I was at work and wasn't there. When I returned home that night, I noticed my white door was full of black smears. When I looked more closely, I could see multiple black fingerprints all over the door. He hung the door back but it was full of grease.

Maybe booties and gloves?