AITA for requiring that guests change clothes before they sit on my furniture?

A 20-year-old man lives alone and maintains a strict hygiene rule: guests must either change into clean clothes or wear a disposable raincoat before sitting on his furniture. He believes it limits the germs brought in from outside.

While his girlfriend and immediate family have adjusted to the rule, a friend recently reacted poorly and left, ignoring his messages afterward. His mother later told him the expectation might be excessive, causing him to wonder if he went too far. Now, he’s questioning whether enforcing this rule makes him unreasonable.

‘ AITA for requiring that guests change clothes before they sit on my furniture?’

I’m 20m and I live alone. I’m a very neat person. My mother kept our house pristine growing up and I helped her for as long as I can remember. I recently moved out into my own place and something that I started thinking about was how many germs from outside we track into our houses. I always change out of my clothes as soon as I get home but whenever I have guests they don’t. And I have no idea where they’ve been or what their clothes have been exposed to.

About a month ago, I bought a bunch those clear disposable rain coats and I started telling people who I invited over that they could bring a change of fresh clothes to change into or wear one of the coats before they sit on my furniture. I also offer to wash the clothes that they change out of, if they want to.

My girlfriend doesn’t have a problem with this and started just leaving clothes at my place. My mom and my little sister have also been okay with this new rule. But I invited a friend over yesterday (I told them about the clothes thing before they came) and when they got here they were surprised that I actually enforced it and said “You’ve got to f*cking with me”. I told them no, I’m serious and then they left. They haven’t been answering my messages either.

I was talking to my mom about it today and she said it was pretty excessive and unreasonable to expect everybody to do. I disagree but Im kind of double guessing myself. Am I in the wrong here?

Here’s what people had to say to OP:

Cultural_Section_862 −  YTA and need therapy, I don’t say that disparagingly at.all. I sincerely think you would benefit from professional help

jaeger555 −  YTA. You have OCD my friend. Yes there are germs out there, but the likelihood of them doing harm to you is near zero. This type of thing gets worse over time, so get help now.

Big-Refrigerator6766 −  YTA. Your mom is right — it is excessive and unreasonable for you to expect people to change clothes when they come over (assuming you don’t suffer from some sort of condition that makes you unusually susceptible to infection). I’m not a psychologist but it sounds like you should consult one.

ParticularAd1735 −  I don’t want to judge because this sounds like a potential mental health concern.

Always_travelin −  YTA. Wow…. just wow. Words cannot describe how socially unaware this post is. You can go with the “my house/my rules” mentality, but don’t expect any friends to visit, ever. Who the hell regularly visits a friend with a change of clothes in hand?

[Reddit User] −  YTA. My mother also kept out house very pristine. However, we didn’t expect our guest to change out of their clothes to come over. The fact that your mother didn’t enforce this growing up should be your first clue that something else is at play here. You seem to have a p**bia of germs.

OrangeCubit −  YTA – I think you might need to pursue some professional help

pigeon888 −  It is honestly incredibly extreme. In fact I’ve never heard of that. If you’re that much of a germaphobe then I suggest getting a cover or throw for your furniture and washing it after guests leave. Many people here may say, “Your house, your rules” but I think you’ll run out of friends fast with those rules. For your own best interest I’m saying YTA.

Disastrous-Nail-640 −  YTA. This is an unrealistic expectation.If you’re this much of a germaphobe:1) get help and 2) don’t have people over.
I wouldn’t be back or respond either. I would absolutely think you were joking if you told me that ahead of time. And then, if you tried to enforce it, I would think you were batshit crazy.

Traditional_Tea_1879 −  YTA. Not because of the rule ( this is where I think you might want to check with a professional whether there is a mental issue that requires addressing) and as you are in your home, you are e**itled to set these types of rules.

However, you are inconsistent in your behaviour and enforcement, which makes you the AH. Are you applying the same scrutiny to when you go out to other places? When you go shopping, are you sanitising yourself before and after? No just change of clothes when you are back home. Are you changing clothes after going to the toilet? Are your guests required to do so again? Because, if not , then what is the point?