DEAR ABBY: My grandmother gets on my case all the time because I don't clean the bathroom every day. She grew up in the '50s and '60s and was a stay-at-home mom to two boys. However, I am a graduate student with a part-time job. I spend hours studying, and when I get some free time, I use it to do things I actually want to do.
My grandmother insists that everyone she knows/knew cleans their house every day, and when she talks about cleaning the bathroom, she doesn't mean just picking things up; she means spraying down all surfaces and getting out the bleach or foam spray to clean down the bathtub. I don't think she understands that no one I know -- at least my age -- cleans their house that way every single day, and that because I'm busy most days and often tired, I don't want to come home and clean the whole house.
Am I lazy, or am I right in telling her that I will not deep-clean my bathroom/apartment every day? (I think deep-cleaning every two weeks is fine.) The free time I have is precious. How often is appropriate? -- SOUTHERN MARIE
DEAR SOUTHERN MARIE: If you haven't been able to convince your grandmother by now that your circumstances are different, the chances of it happening are slim to none. Under normal circumstances, deep-cleaning your bathroom once a week is fine and should keep it sparkling. If you're smart, you'll avoid arguing with her about this, because it's a waste of breath.