Help! DM needs to clean her house! How do I broach this?

[missgrainger]

My DM is very well turned out, make up done, hair done, well dressed. Her house is neat and tidy but gawd it's just not clean. She doesn't change sheets, clean dishes properly, clean sinks etc. We don't live close by so don't visit very often, when we do I have to grit my teeth if I'm stayong over. I'm not fussy or overly clean myself, but it's getting worse and starting to make me cringe and avoid staying. My children don't notice (I'd be worried if they do). DM is late sixties, very fit and very busy. She has a new man on the scene...this may put him off!! Am I being an absolute beatch? Tell me if I am. How to broach the subject sensitively?

She has 20-20 vision! She just laughs her head off about the cobwebs in the corners like it's a great big joke.

Wel I just think life is for living and not to worry about cobwebs if she is healthy and happy id leave her to it or you could clean it for her

'older people have different hygiene standards'. Really? How patronising.

You don't!
I loved visiting DMIL precisely because she had a life and didn't spend her whole time cleaning.

Not really Eddie. My mother never had a washing machine in her life, and was from an era when we weren't as paranoid about germs and didn't have all the products we have for getting rid of them. Most people from her generation and class wouldnt dream of having a bath every day but this is now common practice. To be honest, I'm including myself in the 'older people' camp. I think people are a bit hysterical about dirt.