DEAR ANNIE Reader’s son and his wife don’t keep clean household

Dear Annie: My son and his wife hardly ever really clean their house. The bathroom on the main level gets cleaned once in a while, but the ones upstairs are disgusting. When I have stayed there, I’ve cleaned the bathroom I use because I can’t stand it. They’ve lived in this house for three years, and there is dust that has never been swept up. Neither one was raised like this.

I really don’t want to stay overnight again until they clean. Should I tell them that? If so, any suggestions?

At My Wits’ End Dear Wits’ End: Everybody has different standards of cleanliness. If you don’t think it would offend them, you could offer to get them a cleaning service one time, as a gift. Sometimes we stop noticing messes in our midst; seeing the house spick-andspan might give your son and daughter-in-law a new perspective. But at the end of the day, it is their house. As long as it’s not anywhere near dangerously unsanitary, clean enough for them is clean enough.

Dear Annie: I work in a large home improvement store. Customers are bringing their dogs into the store with more and more frequency.

I have turned down many aisles and been faced with dogs, from very large to very small — some leashed, some not.

I work while seated at a desk. One customer’s unleashed dog was at my feet, when a second dog came into the area and charged, resulting in a scuffle at my feet.

I thought my situation was ridiculous, but then another employee was bitten badly by a very large dog. She was walking past and was bitten on her finger, which resulted in her getting many stitches.

I know it is politically incorrect to not fawn over dogs. Personally, I have had two dogs. I treated them well and took care of them. But people always came first.

In the Doghouse Dear In the Doghouse: I love dogs, but that doesn’t mean I think it’s appropriate to let them freely roam everywhere. It’s not safe, for them or for people, as your bitten co-worker can attest. What I don’t understand is why you and the rest of the staff are allowing dogs to roam off leash. Perhaps you could talk to management.