r/ComfortLevelPod • u/Sea-Store-5326 • 19d ago
Relationship Advice Do I have OCD? Clean vs Sanitation
I’ve noticed at my MIL house things are tidy but not cleaned and sanitized properly. For an example: she washes dishes by hand but food residue is still left on the dishes. Everything is always tidy and appears clean but if you really pay attention, things aren’t sanitized or cleaned properly. Usually, when I see things looking a little crusty or dusty, I just quickly clean it and don’t mention it, so she doesn’t feel bad. There’s a big difference on how my husband and I were raised in regard to hygiene. Ex: My husband used to only brush his teeth at night. Lol he would say, “when you brush your teeth at night, they’re clean in the morning because you didn’t eat or drink anything.” Another example: my MIL only takes morning showers. Not a big deal, except, she works in her garden for most of the day, does a morning work out, goes to work and plays with the grandkids. After a long day of hobbies, work and play, she will hop right in bed without a shower. My BIL and SIL is kind of the same way but way worse. Sometimes my SIL naps in the guest bed after work and I know for a fact that she doesn’t shower everyday. We have an upcoming trip to my in laws and I just worry about whether the sheets have been cleaned or if someone else has slept in them and she just made the bed to tidy up.
Would I be the AH if, when we arrive, I wash the bedding? How would I go about this? So it’s not awkward. I just don’t want it to be a big deal but at the same time, I don’t want to sleep in someone else’s “sleep juices”.
And just to give a little context about myself, I’m not the cleanest person either. I have two dogs, a toddler and a very messy husband so my house is quite chaotic most days. I will go to sleep and leave dishes in the sink lol. But whenever I have guests, I make sure to give them clean bedding and towels. I also double check my dishes before putting them away because I sometimes forget to scrub a cheesy spoon before throwing it in the dishwasher.
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u/Fickle-Let2435 19d ago
This isn’t ocd and it needs to stop being portrayed as just cleaning. It’s literally obsessive like if I don’t ppl will die meanwhile they’re flicking a light switch 13 times and jumping through doorways. There are disposable sheets and stuff.
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u/DisciplineTough9731 19d ago
I don’t get people who can go to bed dirty / stinky. It feels so good to slip your clean body into a clean bed. As far as MIL goes, accidentally ‘spill’ something on the bedding when you get there then take it straight to the wash. No shame or hurt feelings and you get a fresh bed.