Dear Prudence,
I have an embarrassing question on bathroom etiquette. My wife, who is
normally not a neat freak, insists that I scrub the toilet after I go
number two to prevent unsightly streaks on the bowl. She claims that I'm
the only person she's known who leaves such marks. To keep the peace at
home, I use a toilet brush and spray to clean the bowl after use, which
seems to me a reasonable courtesy. Recently, we went to a friend's
house for a party and during the night I had to relieve myself. My wife
used the bathroom after me and later confided she was horrified to see I
had left marks in the bowl. There was no toilet brush available, so I
didn't feel obliged to scrub afterward, but did flush twice. She now
insists that I have a problem, is shopping for a portable brush to carry
when we go out, and is encouraging me to change my diet. I think our
friends are adults, and can be expected to know that sometimes toilets
get dirty. I'm starting to dread getting invited for parties, as I know
my wife will be giving me the evil eye whenever I make a move toward the
bathroom.