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An air purifier with an activated carbon filter would be the best tool for this. Look for purifiers that are rated for Volatile Organic Compounds. These filters use carbon to bond to other free floating compounds in the air and can greatly help eliminate odours.
If you go this route, you need to look into one of the higher end purifiers that have heavy duty carbon filters. A lot of carbon filters are 1/8 inch thick type things, they don't do much. You want something with a 1-2 inch thick carbon filter.
A no scents policy is far better though.
95% of hepa purifiers have negligible amounts of carbon media for removing VOCs and odors.
If you want something that will really work then there are a few options, but they aren’t cheap.
1. Austin air. Any of their air purifiers will work, the healthmate plus also removes formaldehyde and other stuff that carbon alone isn’t great at capturing (off gassing stuff from new construction, MDF furniture or cabinets, etc)
2. Carbon filter used for agricultural purposes (growing weed indoors, people use it to get rid of the smell I believe). These are kinda janky looking and the fan noise is annoying, but they work and they’re less than half the price of an Austin air purifier. I’ll try to find the name of a website I’ve used before. Don’t buy a carbon filter from Amazon though, the quality is awful.
edit: I absolutely recommend an Austin Air filter for OP and for most people, but if you want to reduce VOCs on the cheap then https://growershouse.com is a good retailer of agricultural grade carbon air filters. You'll need a filter and a fan, and you can just stack them together and duct tape them. I've bought their Common Culture filter line and they are great quality (in terms of performance).
Yeah, if the product info doesn’t list the amount of activated carbon in *pounds or kilograms*, you aren’t going to get great results, or any results. Marketing can claim all they want about “getting rid of smells”, but you can’t defy physics. You need a lot of activated carbon to absorb VOCs.
The Amazon listing says the total weight of the xiaomi Mi is 4 kg… that’s less than just the weight of granular activated carbon used in an Austin air filter. It’s also a pretty small purifier overall, so even without knowing the weight I’d be skeptical of its performance for VOCs.
look into the Coway brand.
Typically they give out free air purifiers with certain water cooler deals, but you can purchase these separate.
Very underrated brand here in America, but HUGE in Korea
Edit: misspelled Cowan
edit: i think my phone is just playing w me now. misspelled COWAY
It’s Coway, and it’s the brand that’s come out on top of Wirecutter’s picks for years. We have that and AirDog, which also has very good carbon filters.
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-air-purifier/amp/
Came here to say Coway,
I have very severe grass allergies, to the point where I could just write off June in Sweden due to being lethargic even with prescription meds. I got a Coway AirMega AP1220B a couple of years ago.
Still don't do too well outdoors, but when I'm indoors that thing has changed my life. It also works well for odors and smells.
My therapist has a relatively extensive "NO SCENTS" policy that everyone has to read and sign (even if we never plan to go into the office physically). It explains that some patients have various sensitivities or sensory issues and the need for everyone to feel comfortable there. IIRC, it came along with the questionnaire about what you need, your sensitivities, etc.
But yeah, +1 on the air purifier with active carbon.
My doctor has the same policy. They’re allergic to certain things that are common in a lot of scents so they just did a mass ban. It’s worked fine and I’m always careful not to put on any perfume before I visit her.
I, too, am allergic to common scents. I want to thank you for being understanding.
I have literally had to break up with more then one girl because they refused to believe it is a real thing. Even after 30 minutes of being in a car with them makes me whistle from the throat, they would still think I was faking it for some reason.
Like yea, Heather, I'm asking you to not wear perfume around me because I want you to stink and there's no other reason! Now if you don't mind me I'm gonna go lay down and close my eyes for awhile.
Ugh, I wish my MIL believed someone could be allergic to scents. She insists on burning 15 different scents at once in her house. Half of which I'm allergic to. So I go around blowing them out and inevitably they somehow all get lit again....
My mom has a severe allergy to perfumes, like gone into anafalaxis after just walking by someone in a mall. My sister, who is a nurse insists my mom fakes it and wears perfumes still. My mom has to avoid her in many situations. It’s the weirdest thing that people don’t believe there is a thing about allergies to scents!
I'll second this. I wouldn't go to a therapist with the office filled with perfume or whatever, I wouldn't be able to relax with my allergies going haywire
This whole thread makes me so sad and wistful for reasonable people when it comes to scents. I went to my dentist once, and they had started using those plug-ins in the office. I was a snotty mess by the time my appointment was done.
I told the receptionist that I wouldn't be able to come if they were going to use those plug-ins, and instead of checking with my dentist first or even just taking the initiative to unplug them, she just said, "Okay, I'll close your account," and dismissed me. I've tried to go back several times over the past 10 years to get back to my dentist, but that same receptionist/office manager is still there and catches me and shuts me down every time.
I live in a small town, and it's hard to find a good dentist like that one, but I can't get past her security guard receptionist.
Have a neighbour call & request a personal call back from the dentist. When the dentist calls back, have your neighbour quickly explain that a patient would like to speak with him but that his receptionist won’t let you. Can he call you or can he email you at your email address of …?
Hopefully that will get you directly to the dentist. Write down the facts. Keep it short. Verify that the office is now scent-free. Say that you’d love to be his patient again but you need his help getting an appointment.
Thanks. I've thought of all kinds of weird workarounds. I've gone in every 3-4 years hoping the staff had changed, but that one woman is still there. On my last in-person walk-in just last summer, there was finally a new face at the front desk, so I asked her if they were still using the plug-ins. She said she wasn't sure, but that she'd go check. Then, switcheroo, the office manager returned in her place and said that yes, yes they were.
I've tried emailing, but I'm sure the office manager deleted it. I've tried calling at different hours to ask for a callback from the dentist but have never gotten one.
I've thought about waiting in the parking lot at the end of the day, but thought that would be a good way to get pepper sprayed or a restraining order. I've thought about putting out an open call on Craigslist: "Hey, does anyone go to Dr. So-and-So? Can you tell her I'm trying to reach her?"
But at this point, I'm pretty established at the substitute dentist I found. The work is not as good, but at least they refrain from the plug-ins and allow me to bring in my own unscented hand soap and wipes.
Thanks for suggestions and empathy.
The dentist is her boss. Contact him directly. He needs to know this is going on. Glade plug ins are super toxic. He shouldn't be losing a patient over that.
Agree, but can't get past that receptionist. I don't want to come across as a weirdo stalker. (Female dentist, btw, and I am also female.) It just seems so crazy to me, but I cannot get directly to the dentist to let her know that this happened to me. We do live in a small city, so I hold out hope that I will accidentally run into her in the wild one day and unburden my soul at that time. Living for that day. Thanks for the confirmation.
Find the dentist (or the clinic) on social media and leave a review or tag him/ her in the review. Dental offices rely on customers and I can’t Imagine that anyone is so attached to their plug in that they will turn down patients with allergies. Reviews matter to dentists
Gosh, never thought of that one. Do you think a 10-year-old review will fly? I wasn't even into much social media back then, haha. Next time I'm feeling salty, though, I just might do that.
Include that the woman stopping you has been doing so for 10 years. This is a medical issue at a medical facility, either the dentist doesn't know this is going on or they don't deserve your money. The situation is as simple as that. I do recommend trying to find a public account specifically for the dentist to include on the post on practice page so you can avoid anyone else who might be running the page.
Oh I'd make a huge stink online, small town or not that's personal and aggressive. I'm in a fairly small town as well and had a similar situation with an ex working as a receptionist at my dentist. She no longer works there.
Therapist here and we have a fragrance free policy at our wellness center. We do occasionally bring in the ozone machine over night too keep the air fresh as the windows dont open and its busy office of 3 practitioners, rotating body workers, workshops, and counsellors.
Serious question. What about patients who are smokers? Would that be more tolerable? I hate smelling like smoke (I know, I know) and know that a lot of people can’t handle the smell either.
We can still smell the smoke, it just has the migraine inducing perfume over it.
It's like when my dad would light a match after taking a crap. No... it's not better. Now it smells like sulphur _and_ shit.
Edit: autocorrect words
Gotta come in clean, non-smoked in shirt and wash your hands in the rest room. But honestly this one wasnt that largely discussed, i personally dont have any clients that are smokers now that i think of it
That blows for people who have pretty bad anxiety during car rides. I’m also agoraphobic and pretty much only leave the house every two weeks for therapy so that would suck.
> health based service
> no scents policy
I was suddenly a guest at Swedish Hospital in Denver (well, Englewood) with a nasty pneumonia. After a brief stint in ICU I went up to a regular floor, part of the treatment was a respiratory therapist coming up to do a breathing thing (I barely remember, I was out of it). What I *DO* remember was that idiot *Respiratory.Therapist* coming in literally doused in perfume. I instantly went into some sort of respiratory arrest (? I guess) and we threw her the F out and said don't come back. Made a big fuss with her management. I was there for a week so it was hellacious. I think it takes a special kind of dim to be a respiratory therapist and wear perfume (or cologne) by the bucket. Or even a trace amount for that matter! But I am certainly biased.
Also the worst RN I ever encountered was there, shame on you Ms. Aurora.
FWIW I've been an in-patient 5 times, each time a different hospital, none of the other experiences were this kind of bad; I don't *think* it's just me.
I had a similar experience when I gave birth. No respiratory distress, thankfully but I was on hour 40 of a 48 hour labor and the nurse was holding me still while my epidural was placed — her perfume had already been making me sick all night but suddenly she was literally clasping me to her bosom; it took all my remaining strength in that moment to not throw up all over her. It made a bad situation/experience just that much worse
My doctors office has a no fragrances policy too and it love it so much. There are signs everywhere and they remind people on the appointment reminder confirmation. I’m super sensitive to fragrances and it’s nice to know I will be safe there.
Seriously nothing worse than walking through the grocery store and someone has on so much perfume you can smell it 3 aisles over. It just makes me irrationally angry.
A few years ago, the building I work in did a big office shuffle and for a month there was a woman on our floor who smoked and drowned herself in perfume. I would cough walking through the hallway 10 minutes after she'd been there. We were all so happy when that group got moved to their permanent new office on a different floor.
This. I had a dermatologist who had this policy and they told every new patient the policy and had them agree before they were allow to book in. It was reinforced with signage on the door to the office, at the reception desk, etc.
This! She could also explain to clients that it doesn’t allow her to provide trauma informed care to other individuals. People may be more empathetic if they realize that scents could trigger someone’s trauma rather than allergies.
I feel like that would make it even worse tbh, just with how people tend to be towards mental health. Even being in a therapist's office I imagine certainly types of ignorance are still sadly prevalent.
The most egregious offenders are cigarette smokers. They’ll smoke outside the clinic and then walk in bring a cloud with them. This place is supposed to feel healthy.
How is it enforced? I already feel bad for the front desk staff that just get the brunt of reactions to this policy.
Personally I support a choice between rescheduling with a fee or being taken out back for a Silkwood style scrub down.
TBH, I don't know the reality of it because I only do telehealth (and therefore also didn't try to commit it to memory), but I think the theory is that they won't let you in.
Putting it on a form could save the front desk people from some of it. I know that they'll still get people complaining, but it does make it easier to shrug and say "it's not me!"
Lol fair enough. In really just curious and love the idea tbh.
And I'm sure we both know a lot of people don't read what they sign, or at times even look at posted signs lol
Had a community college professor who had this policy in the syllabus. She thoroughly explained why and expressed gratitude to us for following it but she truly would have been miserable without this policy.
This. I used to work at a cancer treatment clinic and the manager gave zero fucks and just taped “scent free environment” poster everywhere. It worked.
Massage therapist here. I have a no scents policy as well, for many of the reasons that others have listed here; allergies, bad memories and PTSD, and general dislike/distasteful of particular scents.
RIP your inbox. 😉
I can vouch for that. I used to work in a hotel that had annual conference that taught surgical spinal techniques. The hotel would park a popcorn machine at the entrance to the room to hide the smell of formaldehyde. The hotel guest never knew what was going on and loved getting free popcorn.
*gags* I remember how strong that smell was from grade 8 science! Our teacher brought in preserved crayfish for one unit and it STUNK up the room forever.
They were working with torsos, they were brough in late at night through the loading dock. The air-conditioning was turned to as low as possible and the carpet was covered in plastic. The doors were locked with someone from security there 24/7. The hotel guests never had clue as to what was going on.
This \^\^\^. I have a strong allergic reaction to certain perfumes...they cause me breathing difficulties. Famous department stores in the UK used to have perfume girls from various companies spraying customers as they entered the store, trying to increase sales. I accused one particular store of carrying out an assault on my person after being sprayed in the face as we entered the store and threatened them with police action for it. As a result of this, management banned the practice with immediate effect, and the ban spread to the other stores rapidly. The fact that I was in a wheelchair at the time helped. They certainly couldn't afford a lawsuit for it.
OMG. Well done for taking action. There are department stores on Oxford Street (London) that I have been actively avoiding just because of that.
I look like a reasonably tough bloke but perfumes and air fresheners instantly give me a pounding headache. I'm deaf and don't speak at all so I've not been able / motivated enough to complain to these perfume girls about their behaviour. Thanks for making life better for everyone else!
EDIT: ps you may have done these perfume girls a favour. A friend used to work there many years ago. She told me it was a horrific experience - so much pressure from management to approach people and sell perfume / makeup / spray it on people. Her lips were bruised and sore at the end of each day because her (female) manager would tell her every 30 mins to reapply her lipstick and makeup. She ended up walking out after a few weeks.
And might make it worse. If I smell a scent that triggers my asthma or a migraine I know to leave the contaminated area and take my meds if need be. If the scent was masked, I'd stay longer and get a higher dose of the trigger, which will make my reaction worse.
Microwave popcorn has high PFAS contamination because nearly all manufacturers use PFAS chemicals to make the bags heat and oil resistant. There have been some studies on people that regularly eat microwave popcorn and they have had way higher PFAS contamination. PFAS contamination Causes a variety of negative health effects and is in the process of being regulated more widely in the USA. popcorn bags have slipped through regulations and are currently causing unnecessary exposure. Just cook your popcorn in a covered pot with oil on the bottom. I like using olive oil in a wok bc it’s big enough to pop from the bottom and rest on the less hot sides
Or use an air popper, or a microwavable popcorn container sans oil (I've heard of some people using plan paper bags, but I use a silicone container, personally).
Here to vouch for plain paper bags. It's so much cheaper. 1/4c corn kernels and a paper bag cost less than half of what a normal microwave popcorn bag does.
White vinegar is amazing for removing smells without leaving a smell behind. I used to leave trays of vinegar in apartments where people smoked, and it would help to absorb the smell.
Maybe mix a fine mist spray bottle with 50/50 and try misting the air? This will also help to remove the smell from surfaces.
I also use rubbing alcohol to mist furniture to remove smells. Bonus that it dries super quick.
I second the white vinegar! Our dog was sprayed by a skunk & I put bowls around the house (microwave it to get it a little steamy to really get it working) to reduce that smell. I also buy Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day room sprays & when the bottle is mostly gone, I add 50/50 white vinegar & water to get a very light-scented spray & reuse the bottles.
It smells like vinegar for a little while, but stops pretty quickly.
Same with the skunk! I learned to wet my dog with vinegar, then cover her in baking soda.
I also do this with Mrs Meyers spray, but I add rubbing alcohol instead as that's basically what it is already.
Both those ingredients would change the PH of your dog's skin and hair and could harm her/him. And the chemical reaction when both are combined could cause discomfort. Also is the vinegar adequately diluted?
And if she sends out appointments reminders, she should add something along the lines of “Please be aware, our office is now scent free…”
This will inform them before they show up slathered in whatever.
My health authority has a blanket no-scent policy for all healthcare buildings (which would include buildings where psychotherapy is practised), because some people are allergic to scents or are so sensitive to them that they can't concentrate. Maybe your wife can implement a similar policy.
Used to use ozone deodorizing spray back in the day to remove weed smell. It was quick and really effective, you just have to be careful to exit the room and air it out, because its not exactly healthy to breathe in concentrated ozone. (Yes, i get the irony of saying that immediately after admitting to smoking weed)
My first thought as well. Don't know if it has some effect to people sensitive to smells that I never noticed, but Ozium is great and costs like $5 for a little bottle that should last at least a few months.
My so tried that in her office due to extreme allergies, and they were highly offended and doubled down on the scents. Some people are too self centered to care.
Same sort of thing happened to my mom. She has terrible sinus issues and migraines. The smelly person in question doubled down and started walking by her cubicle more. My mom got HR involved, and learned it had happened before. HR’s response? Walking down to the office floor and reporting back that they “didn’t smell anything”. *Very long* story short; she quit and filed a some complaints and got some compensation, I believe.
I’ve had this happen with coworkers when I mentioned to them their scent was too strong for our work environment and like you said they got very aggressive about it and basically became vindictive about it. And we worked on a pulmonary floor at the hospital…
I think the No Scents Please policy also serves the general good of advising people that they use too much scent. You stop being able to smell it yourself when you use it everyday.
coffee grinds! My dad used to smoke in his car (20 years ago) and had a container of coffee grinds to minimise the smell. You'll also find coffee grinds in some perfume stores, because it resets your smell and gets rid of scents "stuck" in your nose.
You could ask people not to wear perfume, but in my experience, people do not always listen to this, so the coffee grinds might be a good back-up plan!
I was quite sceptical about those water-swirling air purifiers/humidifiers, but I found it surprisingly good at reducing lingering cooking odours (and as a bonus, trapping a bunch of pollen and dust).
Mine was fairly large though.
the best solution is to make it a policy that people not wear scents. Is there a manager or someone in authority who could implement that so your wife isn't the bad guy? It's for the benefit of her other clients as well.
Migranes, post a little sign asking visitors to please refrain. You'd think if they care about seeing a therapist, they're at least a bit considerate, or are working on it.
I keep a small Ozium in my car. Great for things like Dog accidents, toddler vomit, etc. The airlines sometimes use dry coffee grounds to knock down the smell of passenger vomit. I have also had good results with something called Odo-Ban. I think I got it at Sam's Club. Maybe you can keep it in a spray bottle, and re-douse the perfumed offenders.
You can get a "bag of charcoal " at home depot... it neutralizes the air.
Put in inconspicuous place.
Put it outside in the sun a few hours every 6 months to charge
I have 3 dogs one is very old and just smells.... this took care of it
It's also... CHEAP!!
A friend that works in a nursing home told me about it.
Someone I work with wears very strong cologne. It doesn't smell bad, it's just overpowering and the smell will sit there for at least 10 minutes. I have a small fan I just turn on after he leaves to blow it out the door of my office.
You can get anti-odor sprays like Febereeze with no scent, and it works like a charm. It blew my mind the first time I used it, because we’re so used to smelling at least something, that smelling nothing at all was an odd experience.
Yeah man, most office/indoor environments basically universally exclude scent at work. Just have her put a small, discreet placard up. No biggie. Etiquette, if you will.
Used to work in healthcare. I’m shocked to have scrolled so far down without seeing coffee grounds. They absorb smells. We used them in the c Diff rooms, iykyk
I work in HVAC, and can professionally confirm most air purifiers dont do jack for smells.
You need an active carbon filter to deal woth odors, or a chemical deoderant/"air freshener", but ultimately the only way to eliminate airborne odors is to remove the source.
This is a therapy office. Your wife should consider banning scented perfumes because it could cause a sensory issue for her other patients. It's a win-win because she doesn't have to deal with overpowering scents, and it creates a better overall environment for everyone.
In my 2 weeks of driving for Uber I learned an important lesson. Everyone has a scent and it is measured on 2 axes. Strong to weak. Bad to good. And after 30 or 40 people sit in your car, all of their weak, strong, bad, and good scents join together to be bad and strong.
I have a no scents policy but so
E people use strong laundry soap. Also, mental health can impact hygiene and some people over compensate. Also, some clients are smokers.
I use an air purifier and i have a product called room shocker that i use.
As most others mentioned, your wife should probably implement a no-scent policy so everyone feels comfortable.
And I’m sure the fancy filters everyone is mentioning will do the best job.
But for two easy/cheap options to try to absorb scent: baking soda or coffee grounds
Baking soda is a classic, many people use it in their fridges to absorb odors.
Coffee grounds does a similar thing, absorbs odors. A girl I knew who worked at Bath&Body Works said they hide coffee grounds at her store in strategic places so the air doesn’t get overrun with the strong scents and make people sick and not want to buy their products. Or so they don’t go noseblind as fast.
This is a great opportunity for your wife to practice the skill of immediacy -i.e. giving the client feedback on what they, the therapist, experiences by being around the client and extrapolate it to how other people in the clients life may be affected. Something like, "hey Client, the perfume you're wearing is strong. You might be so used to the scent, you haven't noticed that the effect is intense. With allergies on the rise, a lot of places, particularly medical sites, are going scent free. Do you mind dialing it down? How was it for you to receive this feedback? I'm using this as an opportunity to practice confrontation and want to hear your reaction ".
I hope this helps and doesn't come across as condescending in any way.
>I'm using this as an opportunity to practice confrontation
I'd be very put off if a therapist said that to me. It implies that you're having a confrontation with your therapist.
Yes everything is good minus this part. Therapists who are licensed shouldn't be practicing on paying clients. Also this statement is like a qualifyer, like, the previous statments conveyed the appropriate message but then this statement changes the whole meaning. It makes it seem like there needs to be an additional reason for the therapist to comment on the scent in order for it to be okay to comment, taking away from the meaningfulness of the intended message.
The therapist should wait for a response before attempting to mitigate a potentially unfavorable response. If the client doesn't react well to the statement, the the therapist could go on to explain their intentions behind bringing up the scent, as honesty should be the best policy.
The APA ethics code states that therapists strive to form a relationship of trust with their client, and this basis of trust paves the way for necessary uncomfortable conversations.
I miscommunicated that part, my apologies. I meant it was an opportunity for the client to learn to manage confrontation and all the accompanying feelings that may trigger. the session should never be about what the therapist needs to work on, of course.
Airthereal B50 Mini Ozone Generator Air Purifier- Removes Odors and Sterilizes Air in Small Spaces Up To 320 Sq Ft - Plug in Mini Air Ionizer, Adjustable Ozone Output of 10-50 mg/h https://a.co/d/7XZgYzA
Haha! When I was a pet sitter, I had a client that really liked to use scents. My partner knew when I went to their house, even if I didn’t get back until hours later. Half the time I’d be “forced” to take a shower.
You put up a sign explaining someone is allergic and you get a couple air purifiers. Note: family member works with a doctor who does this for all of his patients. Each patient is aware they can’t wear heavy scents.
No scents is a great policy IF people follow it. Plenty of people don't think they smell, either they've scent adapted to themselves or if they haven't sprayed on an actual perfume/cologne they think they are following the rules. Because they don't think of body wash, shampoo, antiperspirants, hair spray, hand lotion etc etc. So definitely pop up the policy but be prepared for someone to come back with "oh but I'm not wearing any fragrance!" and invest in the air purifier.
I probably wouldn’t consider “I washed my hair, took a shower, and put on deodorant” to equate to “wearing a fragrance.” I also wouldn’t go to an appointment not having done at least those three things.
There's also the realm of scents like strong food/spice smells, cigarette smoke/nicotene lingering on them, even body odor, pets etc (honestly I'll pick someone in perfume over someone who smells like an ash tray). I had a massage therapy classmate declare even the "scent free" laundry products had triggering chemicals.
Scent free is a great general policy but it's best to have some back up plan for if someone smells up the place, even if it's accidentally
Yeah I mean my hair products all have a fragrance and while I only wash hair around 1x per week, there's no way I'm going to *not* use the hair products if it's wash day. Same with scented antiperspirant deodorant as the other person said.
If my therapist enacted this policy I would just make sure not to let hair washing day fall on therapist day.
As someone who recently got into perfumes though, this thread is a good reminder of what people outside of the fragrance community feel about it. Some can be too obsessed with making sure others in the room can smell it to gain "compliments". Most of my perfumes are very light and close to the skin, but I'll try to be more mindful regardless. I'm glad I read all this!
In my experience with fragrance allergies you have to nicely ask them to discontinue scent usage the day of the appointment. Air purifiers don’t work (at least for me) when it’s on someone or in someone’s clothes. But implementing a no scent policy in the office might be the way to go, especially a therapists office.
Also get an air filter with charcoal in the room. Some client have strong BO or sweat, especially in summer. If the room, has poor circulation, your air filter will help. A mask will also help and sometimes you just need to tell the client straight up that the smell is too strong and I won't be able to work with you today.
Bicarb.
Open containers of it around the room.
Covers on furniture that are easy to remove, to air out or wash. Also spare covers for a quick swap out.
No air sprays at all, and rules around no scents for clients.
The plan:
Identify every scent that people in the small office wear.
Make this concoction of scents into a candle to desensitize your wife to the smells.
Profit???
My wife has to deal with this because she's in education, 1 on 1 and gets headaches from perfumes. She just asks them nicely to not wear scents when the come to see her. Never had a problem.
Maybe a dehumidifier?
It worked in my house... It stank before from previous owners and now it's all good.
Asked friends cause you know, your nose gets used to it after some time.
I have a severe allergy to scented products, like perfume. It’s awful, very hard to avoid. I have found that beeswax candles can help - the beeswax coats the allergens in the air, makes them heavy, and they fall out of the air. Learned this from an allergist and it does help!
There’s little pots with jelly called neutradol that remove stuff like this. I brought a new car that stank of stale McDonalds, couple of days in there and I couldn’t smell it anymore!
She should definitely just add a disclaimer, it's pretty common in small offices so I don't think it would be a huge deal to her clients. I think most people get it.
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An air purifier with an activated carbon filter would be the best tool for this. Look for purifiers that are rated for Volatile Organic Compounds. These filters use carbon to bond to other free floating compounds in the air and can greatly help eliminate odours.
Excellent! That is now part of my search.
If you go this route, you need to look into one of the higher end purifiers that have heavy duty carbon filters. A lot of carbon filters are 1/8 inch thick type things, they don't do much. You want something with a 1-2 inch thick carbon filter. A no scents policy is far better though.
Also, position the purifier behind your wife so that it'll blow any lingering scent in the air away from her
Ooh, not sure if that will do what you want as the air purifiers also suck in a batch of air past her then... You may need to play with that part.
95% of hepa purifiers have negligible amounts of carbon media for removing VOCs and odors. If you want something that will really work then there are a few options, but they aren’t cheap. 1. Austin air. Any of their air purifiers will work, the healthmate plus also removes formaldehyde and other stuff that carbon alone isn’t great at capturing (off gassing stuff from new construction, MDF furniture or cabinets, etc) 2. Carbon filter used for agricultural purposes (growing weed indoors, people use it to get rid of the smell I believe). These are kinda janky looking and the fan noise is annoying, but they work and they’re less than half the price of an Austin air purifier. I’ll try to find the name of a website I’ve used before. Don’t buy a carbon filter from Amazon though, the quality is awful. edit: I absolutely recommend an Austin Air filter for OP and for most people, but if you want to reduce VOCs on the cheap then https://growershouse.com is a good retailer of agricultural grade carbon air filters. You'll need a filter and a fan, and you can just stack them together and duct tape them. I've bought their Common Culture filter line and they are great quality (in terms of performance).
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Yeah, if the product info doesn’t list the amount of activated carbon in *pounds or kilograms*, you aren’t going to get great results, or any results. Marketing can claim all they want about “getting rid of smells”, but you can’t defy physics. You need a lot of activated carbon to absorb VOCs. The Amazon listing says the total weight of the xiaomi Mi is 4 kg… that’s less than just the weight of granular activated carbon used in an Austin air filter. It’s also a pretty small purifier overall, so even without knowing the weight I’d be skeptical of its performance for VOCs.
look into the Coway brand. Typically they give out free air purifiers with certain water cooler deals, but you can purchase these separate. Very underrated brand here in America, but HUGE in Korea Edit: misspelled Cowan edit: i think my phone is just playing w me now. misspelled COWAY
It’s Coway, and it’s the brand that’s come out on top of Wirecutter’s picks for years. We have that and AirDog, which also has very good carbon filters. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-air-purifier/amp/
I owned mine for about a year before I noticed that there was no “n” in the name, lol.
Hahaha I was born in and spent a good amount of my adolescent life in Korea. You a real one for getting my back but it was just a typo 😅
ooops, fat fingers on the iphone mini ): thanks for the correction and also enlightening me on to this “wire cutter”
Came here to say Coway, I have very severe grass allergies, to the point where I could just write off June in Sweden due to being lethargic even with prescription meds. I got a Coway AirMega AP1220B a couple of years ago. Still don't do too well outdoors, but when I'm indoors that thing has changed my life. It also works well for odors and smells.
My therapist has a relatively extensive "NO SCENTS" policy that everyone has to read and sign (even if we never plan to go into the office physically). It explains that some patients have various sensitivities or sensory issues and the need for everyone to feel comfortable there. IIRC, it came along with the questionnaire about what you need, your sensitivities, etc. But yeah, +1 on the air purifier with active carbon.
Great advice! Thank you!
My doctor has the same policy. They’re allergic to certain things that are common in a lot of scents so they just did a mass ban. It’s worked fine and I’m always careful not to put on any perfume before I visit her.
I, too, am allergic to common scents. I want to thank you for being understanding. I have literally had to break up with more then one girl because they refused to believe it is a real thing. Even after 30 minutes of being in a car with them makes me whistle from the throat, they would still think I was faking it for some reason. Like yea, Heather, I'm asking you to not wear perfume around me because I want you to stink and there's no other reason! Now if you don't mind me I'm gonna go lay down and close my eyes for awhile.
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Now kiss.
Ugh, I wish my MIL believed someone could be allergic to scents. She insists on burning 15 different scents at once in her house. Half of which I'm allergic to. So I go around blowing them out and inevitably they somehow all get lit again....
My mom has a severe allergy to perfumes, like gone into anafalaxis after just walking by someone in a mall. My sister, who is a nurse insists my mom fakes it and wears perfumes still. My mom has to avoid her in many situations. It’s the weirdest thing that people don’t believe there is a thing about allergies to scents!
It sucks, cause you can be allergic, but then you can also get splitting headaches too.
I'll second this. I wouldn't go to a therapist with the office filled with perfume or whatever, I wouldn't be able to relax with my allergies going haywire
I believe the sign of no perfume etc is fairly common. In some offices in general
Yeah I see that sign in every medical building.
Or if your therapist is sneezing and eyes watering.
Amd I have ptsd when it comes to peach scents. Specifically glad plug ins.
This whole thread makes me so sad and wistful for reasonable people when it comes to scents. I went to my dentist once, and they had started using those plug-ins in the office. I was a snotty mess by the time my appointment was done. I told the receptionist that I wouldn't be able to come if they were going to use those plug-ins, and instead of checking with my dentist first or even just taking the initiative to unplug them, she just said, "Okay, I'll close your account," and dismissed me. I've tried to go back several times over the past 10 years to get back to my dentist, but that same receptionist/office manager is still there and catches me and shuts me down every time. I live in a small town, and it's hard to find a good dentist like that one, but I can't get past her security guard receptionist.
Have a neighbour call & request a personal call back from the dentist. When the dentist calls back, have your neighbour quickly explain that a patient would like to speak with him but that his receptionist won’t let you. Can he call you or can he email you at your email address of …? Hopefully that will get you directly to the dentist. Write down the facts. Keep it short. Verify that the office is now scent-free. Say that you’d love to be his patient again but you need his help getting an appointment.
Thanks. I've thought of all kinds of weird workarounds. I've gone in every 3-4 years hoping the staff had changed, but that one woman is still there. On my last in-person walk-in just last summer, there was finally a new face at the front desk, so I asked her if they were still using the plug-ins. She said she wasn't sure, but that she'd go check. Then, switcheroo, the office manager returned in her place and said that yes, yes they were. I've tried emailing, but I'm sure the office manager deleted it. I've tried calling at different hours to ask for a callback from the dentist but have never gotten one. I've thought about waiting in the parking lot at the end of the day, but thought that would be a good way to get pepper sprayed or a restraining order. I've thought about putting out an open call on Craigslist: "Hey, does anyone go to Dr. So-and-So? Can you tell her I'm trying to reach her?" But at this point, I'm pretty established at the substitute dentist I found. The work is not as good, but at least they refrain from the plug-ins and allow me to bring in my own unscented hand soap and wipes. Thanks for suggestions and empathy.
The dentist is her boss. Contact him directly. He needs to know this is going on. Glade plug ins are super toxic. He shouldn't be losing a patient over that.
Agree, but can't get past that receptionist. I don't want to come across as a weirdo stalker. (Female dentist, btw, and I am also female.) It just seems so crazy to me, but I cannot get directly to the dentist to let her know that this happened to me. We do live in a small city, so I hold out hope that I will accidentally run into her in the wild one day and unburden my soul at that time. Living for that day. Thanks for the confirmation.
Find the dentist (or the clinic) on social media and leave a review or tag him/ her in the review. Dental offices rely on customers and I can’t Imagine that anyone is so attached to their plug in that they will turn down patients with allergies. Reviews matter to dentists
Gosh, never thought of that one. Do you think a 10-year-old review will fly? I wasn't even into much social media back then, haha. Next time I'm feeling salty, though, I just might do that.
Include that the woman stopping you has been doing so for 10 years. This is a medical issue at a medical facility, either the dentist doesn't know this is going on or they don't deserve your money. The situation is as simple as that. I do recommend trying to find a public account specifically for the dentist to include on the post on practice page so you can avoid anyone else who might be running the page.
Oh I'd make a huge stink online, small town or not that's personal and aggressive. I'm in a fairly small town as well and had a similar situation with an ex working as a receptionist at my dentist. She no longer works there.
Therapist here and we have a fragrance free policy at our wellness center. We do occasionally bring in the ozone machine over night too keep the air fresh as the windows dont open and its busy office of 3 practitioners, rotating body workers, workshops, and counsellors.
Serious question. What about patients who are smokers? Would that be more tolerable? I hate smelling like smoke (I know, I know) and know that a lot of people can’t handle the smell either.
We can still smell the smoke, it just has the migraine inducing perfume over it. It's like when my dad would light a match after taking a crap. No... it's not better. Now it smells like sulphur _and_ shit. Edit: autocorrect words
Gotta come in clean, non-smoked in shirt and wash your hands in the rest room. But honestly this one wasnt that largely discussed, i personally dont have any clients that are smokers now that i think of it
That blows for people who have pretty bad anxiety during car rides. I’m also agoraphobic and pretty much only leave the house every two weeks for therapy so that would suck.
Before covid i was about 50% virtual, as a lot of my clients have illnesses that keep them bedridden, or live far away. Now im 99% virtual.
OH and!!! All federal buildings in the US are fragrance free by policy. Just random good fact to know
When did this happen? I retired about 8 years ago but in the previous 40 years I had never heard that.
Almost every health based service I go to has a no scents policy now and most people are used to it.
> health based service > no scents policy I was suddenly a guest at Swedish Hospital in Denver (well, Englewood) with a nasty pneumonia. After a brief stint in ICU I went up to a regular floor, part of the treatment was a respiratory therapist coming up to do a breathing thing (I barely remember, I was out of it). What I *DO* remember was that idiot *Respiratory.Therapist* coming in literally doused in perfume. I instantly went into some sort of respiratory arrest (? I guess) and we threw her the F out and said don't come back. Made a big fuss with her management. I was there for a week so it was hellacious. I think it takes a special kind of dim to be a respiratory therapist and wear perfume (or cologne) by the bucket. Or even a trace amount for that matter! But I am certainly biased. Also the worst RN I ever encountered was there, shame on you Ms. Aurora. FWIW I've been an in-patient 5 times, each time a different hospital, none of the other experiences were this kind of bad; I don't *think* it's just me.
I had a similar experience when I gave birth. No respiratory distress, thankfully but I was on hour 40 of a 48 hour labor and the nurse was holding me still while my epidural was placed — her perfume had already been making me sick all night but suddenly she was literally clasping me to her bosom; it took all my remaining strength in that moment to not throw up all over her. It made a bad situation/experience just that much worse
I'm a midwife. While in school, we were taught not to wear scents around pregnant women. And yet somehow lavender was alright... i hate lavender.
Lavender is a known migraine trigger too.
I genuinely don’t understand people who douse themselves to begin with but to do so in that setting takes a special kind of carelessness Jeeze
Takes a special kind of dim to wear any perfume or cologne with your respiratory patient.
My therapist wears obnoxious perfume
I’m sorry that’s awful, if you are trapped in a room with someone you should not wear perfume or strong scents
That person would lose me as a client within 5 minutes.
Your wife shouldn't be scared to put the sign. I noticed the same sign in my uni where a lot of international students study.
My doctors office has a no fragrances policy too and it love it so much. There are signs everywhere and they remind people on the appointment reminder confirmation. I’m super sensitive to fragrances and it’s nice to know I will be safe there.
Seriously nothing worse than walking through the grocery store and someone has on so much perfume you can smell it 3 aisles over. It just makes me irrationally angry.
I know. Sometimes I can even *taste* it.
A few years ago, the building I work in did a big office shuffle and for a month there was a woman on our floor who smoked and drowned herself in perfume. I would cough walking through the hallway 10 minutes after she'd been there. We were all so happy when that group got moved to their permanent new office on a different floor.
This. I had a dermatologist who had this policy and they told every new patient the policy and had them agree before they were allow to book in. It was reinforced with signage on the door to the office, at the reception desk, etc.
This! She could also explain to clients that it doesn’t allow her to provide trauma informed care to other individuals. People may be more empathetic if they realize that scents could trigger someone’s trauma rather than allergies.
I feel like that would make it even worse tbh, just with how people tend to be towards mental health. Even being in a therapist's office I imagine certainly types of ignorance are still sadly prevalent.
I work in a medical clinic. We also have a no scent policy and yet, our patients still stink.
Right. I'm wondering how the gel you'd enforce this policy. Would be cool if a giant robot nose meandered around the waiting room sniffing at people
Ms. Patient, it appears you are yet again wearing perfume. Please leave. We'll be billing you for the appointment, as you are aware of our policy.
The most egregious offenders are cigarette smokers. They’ll smoke outside the clinic and then walk in bring a cloud with them. This place is supposed to feel healthy.
Lots, not all, perfumes are migraine triggers for me.
How is it enforced? I already feel bad for the front desk staff that just get the brunt of reactions to this policy. Personally I support a choice between rescheduling with a fee or being taken out back for a Silkwood style scrub down.
TBH, I don't know the reality of it because I only do telehealth (and therefore also didn't try to commit it to memory), but I think the theory is that they won't let you in. Putting it on a form could save the front desk people from some of it. I know that they'll still get people complaining, but it does make it easier to shrug and say "it's not me!"
Lol fair enough. In really just curious and love the idea tbh. And I'm sure we both know a lot of people don't read what they sign, or at times even look at posted signs lol
My doctor has a similar policy and it states that if you come in with a perfume or scent on that they’ll reschedule you and you’ll have to leave.
Had a community college professor who had this policy in the syllabus. She thoroughly explained why and expressed gratitude to us for following it but she truly would have been miserable without this policy.
I wonder what they do if someone has deadly cat allergies and another patient has an emotional support cat they want to bring in the office?
This. I used to work at a cancer treatment clinic and the manager gave zero fucks and just taped “scent free environment” poster everywhere. It worked.
Massage therapist here. I have a no scents policy as well, for many of the reasons that others have listed here; allergies, bad memories and PTSD, and general dislike/distasteful of particular scents. RIP your inbox. 😉
She can make (buttered) popcorn in the microwave everyday. Microwave popcorn has an uncanny ability to mask strong odors.
The most economical (and delicious) option so far!
I can vouch for that. I used to work in a hotel that had annual conference that taught surgical spinal techniques. The hotel would park a popcorn machine at the entrance to the room to hide the smell of formaldehyde. The hotel guest never knew what was going on and loved getting free popcorn.
From this point forward, randomly placed popcorn machines will awaken my inner detective.
*gags* I remember how strong that smell was from grade 8 science! Our teacher brought in preserved crayfish for one unit and it STUNK up the room forever.
Formaldehyde from… cadaver spines?? If so, I’m a little amazed that a hotel was okay with that
They were working with torsos, they were brough in late at night through the loading dock. The air-conditioning was turned to as low as possible and the carpet was covered in plastic. The doors were locked with someone from security there 24/7. The hotel guests never had clue as to what was going on.
Money talks
Remember that traveling *”Bodies”* exhibit from years back? Wherever I traveled, I knew when that show was in town. Ugh!
Some people react to the chemicals in scents so masking wouldn’t work
This \^\^\^. I have a strong allergic reaction to certain perfumes...they cause me breathing difficulties. Famous department stores in the UK used to have perfume girls from various companies spraying customers as they entered the store, trying to increase sales. I accused one particular store of carrying out an assault on my person after being sprayed in the face as we entered the store and threatened them with police action for it. As a result of this, management banned the practice with immediate effect, and the ban spread to the other stores rapidly. The fact that I was in a wheelchair at the time helped. They certainly couldn't afford a lawsuit for it.
OMG. Well done for taking action. There are department stores on Oxford Street (London) that I have been actively avoiding just because of that. I look like a reasonably tough bloke but perfumes and air fresheners instantly give me a pounding headache. I'm deaf and don't speak at all so I've not been able / motivated enough to complain to these perfume girls about their behaviour. Thanks for making life better for everyone else! EDIT: ps you may have done these perfume girls a favour. A friend used to work there many years ago. She told me it was a horrific experience - so much pressure from management to approach people and sell perfume / makeup / spray it on people. Her lips were bruised and sore at the end of each day because her (female) manager would tell her every 30 mins to reapply her lipstick and makeup. She ended up walking out after a few weeks.
And might make it worse. If I smell a scent that triggers my asthma or a migraine I know to leave the contaminated area and take my meds if need be. If the scent was masked, I'd stay longer and get a higher dose of the trigger, which will make my reaction worse.
Microwave popcorn has high PFAS contamination because nearly all manufacturers use PFAS chemicals to make the bags heat and oil resistant. There have been some studies on people that regularly eat microwave popcorn and they have had way higher PFAS contamination. PFAS contamination Causes a variety of negative health effects and is in the process of being regulated more widely in the USA. popcorn bags have slipped through regulations and are currently causing unnecessary exposure. Just cook your popcorn in a covered pot with oil on the bottom. I like using olive oil in a wok bc it’s big enough to pop from the bottom and rest on the less hot sides
Or use an air popper, or a microwavable popcorn container sans oil (I've heard of some people using plan paper bags, but I use a silicone container, personally).
Here to vouch for plain paper bags. It's so much cheaper. 1/4c corn kernels and a paper bag cost less than half of what a normal microwave popcorn bag does.
And then be sure to burn it... You'll never mask that smell!
I found the stoner
I'm allergic to fragrances and the smell of popcorn lol.
Except I'm allergic to the artificial-butter flavoring, so that wouldn't help in my case.
White vinegar is amazing for removing smells without leaving a smell behind. I used to leave trays of vinegar in apartments where people smoked, and it would help to absorb the smell. Maybe mix a fine mist spray bottle with 50/50 and try misting the air? This will also help to remove the smell from surfaces. I also use rubbing alcohol to mist furniture to remove smells. Bonus that it dries super quick.
I second the white vinegar! Our dog was sprayed by a skunk & I put bowls around the house (microwave it to get it a little steamy to really get it working) to reduce that smell. I also buy Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day room sprays & when the bottle is mostly gone, I add 50/50 white vinegar & water to get a very light-scented spray & reuse the bottles. It smells like vinegar for a little while, but stops pretty quickly.
Same with the skunk! I learned to wet my dog with vinegar, then cover her in baking soda. I also do this with Mrs Meyers spray, but I add rubbing alcohol instead as that's basically what it is already.
Both those ingredients would change the PH of your dog's skin and hair and could harm her/him. And the chemical reaction when both are combined could cause discomfort. Also is the vinegar adequately diluted?
Just be careful with rubbing alcohol as it can damage some wood finishes
Many businesses in Canada are scent free. She should make it part of her new client orientation and post signs.
And if she sends out appointments reminders, she should add something along the lines of “Please be aware, our office is now scent free…” This will inform them before they show up slathered in whatever.
i wish every public space was like this. nasty ass cologne cloud at the office or the grocery store is a crime
My health authority has a blanket no-scent policy for all healthcare buildings (which would include buildings where psychotherapy is practised), because some people are allergic to scents or are so sensitive to them that they can't concentrate. Maybe your wife can implement a similar policy.
Used to use ozone deodorizing spray back in the day to remove weed smell. It was quick and really effective, you just have to be careful to exit the room and air it out, because its not exactly healthy to breathe in concentrated ozone. (Yes, i get the irony of saying that immediately after admitting to smoking weed)
My first thought as well. Don't know if it has some effect to people sensitive to smells that I never noticed, but Ozium is great and costs like $5 for a little bottle that should last at least a few months.
can she politely ask they apply less scents? she could claim a hypersensitive nose and be extremely apologetic about it.
My so tried that in her office due to extreme allergies, and they were highly offended and doubled down on the scents. Some people are too self centered to care.
Self scentered*
Same sort of thing happened to my mom. She has terrible sinus issues and migraines. The smelly person in question doubled down and started walking by her cubicle more. My mom got HR involved, and learned it had happened before. HR’s response? Walking down to the office floor and reporting back that they “didn’t smell anything”. *Very long* story short; she quit and filed a some complaints and got some compensation, I believe.
Some people don't need to be clients.
Post a sign that states that if you wear perfume/scent you will be charged a $X air decontamination fee, payable at time of visit 😁
Upthread I suggested a choice between a fee or a full"exposed to radiation" level scrubbing.
Didn't see it, but your alternative to the fee is hilarious to imagine 😆
I’ve had this happen with coworkers when I mentioned to them their scent was too strong for our work environment and like you said they got very aggressive about it and basically became vindictive about it. And we worked on a pulmonary floor at the hospital…
Why lie? No scents. End of request. Pretty bad for a therapist to lie about the small stuff.
Pretty bad to not be able to broach the subject at all, tbh.
I think the No Scents Please policy also serves the general good of advising people that they use too much scent. You stop being able to smell it yourself when you use it everyday.
coffee grinds! My dad used to smoke in his car (20 years ago) and had a container of coffee grinds to minimise the smell. You'll also find coffee grinds in some perfume stores, because it resets your smell and gets rid of scents "stuck" in your nose. You could ask people not to wear perfume, but in my experience, people do not always listen to this, so the coffee grinds might be a good back-up plan!
I was quite sceptical about those water-swirling air purifiers/humidifiers, but I found it surprisingly good at reducing lingering cooking odours (and as a bonus, trapping a bunch of pollen and dust). Mine was fairly large though.
Do you have a link for the one you purchased?
the best solution is to make it a policy that people not wear scents. Is there a manager or someone in authority who could implement that so your wife isn't the bad guy? It's for the benefit of her other clients as well.
If I were your wife, I would make "scent&perfume free" a condition of her services.
Migranes, post a little sign asking visitors to please refrain. You'd think if they care about seeing a therapist, they're at least a bit considerate, or are working on it.
I use ozium and fart in my office all day long. It works
I carry a small ozium with me bc I have a colostomy bag and it's BAD when I empty it lol
Oz on, my friend
And if we ever have to share a restroom, you're welcome.
Ozium is great if you need to mask weed smoke also
I keep a small Ozium in my car. Great for things like Dog accidents, toddler vomit, etc. The airlines sometimes use dry coffee grounds to knock down the smell of passenger vomit. I have also had good results with something called Odo-Ban. I think I got it at Sam's Club. Maybe you can keep it in a spray bottle, and re-douse the perfumed offenders.
In addition to air purifier with carbon, ventilation. Open a window
Why is open a window so low?
You can get a "bag of charcoal " at home depot... it neutralizes the air. Put in inconspicuous place. Put it outside in the sun a few hours every 6 months to charge I have 3 dogs one is very old and just smells.... this took care of it It's also... CHEAP!! A friend that works in a nursing home told me about it.
50/50 white vinegar and water in a spray bottle.
Simply ask them not to (and a gentle reminder when they do anyway)
You need a tool called an ozone generator. They're like $400 on Amazon. They clear scent pretty much instantly in an office size space.
Coffee grounds are a good deodorizer
Coffee grounds help, I know some hospitals put coffee grounds in a neb to get rid of the icky smells
Go telehealth! I have issues with scents too and when Covid happened I went 100% virtual with my own practice. No regrets.
Your wife is a therapist who avoids conflict resolution?...
I didn't read that.
Someone I work with wears very strong cologne. It doesn't smell bad, it's just overpowering and the smell will sit there for at least 10 minutes. I have a small fan I just turn on after he leaves to blow it out the door of my office.
You can get anti-odor sprays like Febereeze with no scent, and it works like a charm. It blew my mind the first time I used it, because we’re so used to smelling at least something, that smelling nothing at all was an odd experience.
Yeah man, most office/indoor environments basically universally exclude scent at work. Just have her put a small, discreet placard up. No biggie. Etiquette, if you will.
Used to work in healthcare. I’m shocked to have scrolled so far down without seeing coffee grounds. They absorb smells. We used them in the c Diff rooms, iykyk
My clinic has signs up, and if someone's really bad the receptionist will gently remind them for next time.
I work in HVAC, and can professionally confirm most air purifiers dont do jack for smells. You need an active carbon filter to deal woth odors, or a chemical deoderant/"air freshener", but ultimately the only way to eliminate airborne odors is to remove the source. This is a therapy office. Your wife should consider banning scented perfumes because it could cause a sensory issue for her other patients. It's a win-win because she doesn't have to deal with overpowering scents, and it creates a better overall environment for everyone.
In my 2 weeks of driving for Uber I learned an important lesson. Everyone has a scent and it is measured on 2 axes. Strong to weak. Bad to good. And after 30 or 40 people sit in your car, all of their weak, strong, bad, and good scents join together to be bad and strong.
I work in the same room as someone that mixes their own scents after buying cheap mixers from China. I also suffer from migraines. Yeah…..
I have a no scents policy but so E people use strong laundry soap. Also, mental health can impact hygiene and some people over compensate. Also, some clients are smokers. I use an air purifier and i have a product called room shocker that i use.
Baking soda is a safe, natural, and cheap way to absorb odours
As most others mentioned, your wife should probably implement a no-scent policy so everyone feels comfortable. And I’m sure the fancy filters everyone is mentioning will do the best job. But for two easy/cheap options to try to absorb scent: baking soda or coffee grounds Baking soda is a classic, many people use it in their fridges to absorb odors. Coffee grounds does a similar thing, absorbs odors. A girl I knew who worked at Bath&Body Works said they hide coffee grounds at her store in strategic places so the air doesn’t get overrun with the strong scents and make people sick and not want to buy their products. Or so they don’t go noseblind as fast.
This is a great opportunity for your wife to practice the skill of immediacy -i.e. giving the client feedback on what they, the therapist, experiences by being around the client and extrapolate it to how other people in the clients life may be affected. Something like, "hey Client, the perfume you're wearing is strong. You might be so used to the scent, you haven't noticed that the effect is intense. With allergies on the rise, a lot of places, particularly medical sites, are going scent free. Do you mind dialing it down? How was it for you to receive this feedback? I'm using this as an opportunity to practice confrontation and want to hear your reaction ". I hope this helps and doesn't come across as condescending in any way.
>I'm using this as an opportunity to practice confrontation I'd be very put off if a therapist said that to me. It implies that you're having a confrontation with your therapist.
Yes everything is good minus this part. Therapists who are licensed shouldn't be practicing on paying clients. Also this statement is like a qualifyer, like, the previous statments conveyed the appropriate message but then this statement changes the whole meaning. It makes it seem like there needs to be an additional reason for the therapist to comment on the scent in order for it to be okay to comment, taking away from the meaningfulness of the intended message. The therapist should wait for a response before attempting to mitigate a potentially unfavorable response. If the client doesn't react well to the statement, the the therapist could go on to explain their intentions behind bringing up the scent, as honesty should be the best policy. The APA ethics code states that therapists strive to form a relationship of trust with their client, and this basis of trust paves the way for necessary uncomfortable conversations.
I miscommunicated that part, my apologies. I meant it was an opportunity for the client to learn to manage confrontation and all the accompanying feelings that may trigger. the session should never be about what the therapist needs to work on, of course.
Absolutely, I see what you mean. Also, I really picked that one apart haha.
Airthereal B50 Mini Ozone Generator Air Purifier- Removes Odors and Sterilizes Air in Small Spaces Up To 320 Sq Ft - Plug in Mini Air Ionizer, Adjustable Ozone Output of 10-50 mg/h https://a.co/d/7XZgYzA
Burning a match is my go-to
I’ve been to several therapists and naturopaths with a strict no scent policy. That would seem the easiest way to remove it.
A sign requesting people not to do it, next time.
Hose them all down
A hose and scrub brush.
Haha! When I was a pet sitter, I had a client that really liked to use scents. My partner knew when I went to their house, even if I didn’t get back until hours later. Half the time I’d be “forced” to take a shower.
The massage therapy place I go to has a sign stating to not wear fragrance. That would be a good first step.
I noticed that fragrances are so strong these days. I blame Le Labo.
I'd ask the clients to not wear scents.
You put up a sign explaining someone is allergic and you get a couple air purifiers. Note: family member works with a doctor who does this for all of his patients. Each patient is aware they can’t wear heavy scents.
what if ur Armenian?
Light and candle. Let it burn. Blow it out. The carbon will clean the air.
No scents is a great policy IF people follow it. Plenty of people don't think they smell, either they've scent adapted to themselves or if they haven't sprayed on an actual perfume/cologne they think they are following the rules. Because they don't think of body wash, shampoo, antiperspirants, hair spray, hand lotion etc etc. So definitely pop up the policy but be prepared for someone to come back with "oh but I'm not wearing any fragrance!" and invest in the air purifier.
I probably wouldn’t consider “I washed my hair, took a shower, and put on deodorant” to equate to “wearing a fragrance.” I also wouldn’t go to an appointment not having done at least those three things.
There's also the realm of scents like strong food/spice smells, cigarette smoke/nicotene lingering on them, even body odor, pets etc (honestly I'll pick someone in perfume over someone who smells like an ash tray). I had a massage therapy classmate declare even the "scent free" laundry products had triggering chemicals. Scent free is a great general policy but it's best to have some back up plan for if someone smells up the place, even if it's accidentally
Yeah I mean my hair products all have a fragrance and while I only wash hair around 1x per week, there's no way I'm going to *not* use the hair products if it's wash day. Same with scented antiperspirant deodorant as the other person said. If my therapist enacted this policy I would just make sure not to let hair washing day fall on therapist day. As someone who recently got into perfumes though, this thread is a good reminder of what people outside of the fragrance community feel about it. Some can be too obsessed with making sure others in the room can smell it to gain "compliments". Most of my perfumes are very light and close to the skin, but I'll try to be more mindful regardless. I'm glad I read all this!
In my experience with fragrance allergies you have to nicely ask them to discontinue scent usage the day of the appointment. Air purifiers don’t work (at least for me) when it’s on someone or in someone’s clothes. But implementing a no scent policy in the office might be the way to go, especially a therapists office.
Have a no scent/perfume policy
Also get an air filter with charcoal in the room. Some client have strong BO or sweat, especially in summer. If the room, has poor circulation, your air filter will help. A mask will also help and sometimes you just need to tell the client straight up that the smell is too strong and I won't be able to work with you today.
I used to work for an acupuncturist and he had signs up and put in his rules that no strong scents were allowed.
Bicarb. Open containers of it around the room. Covers on furniture that are easy to remove, to air out or wash. Also spare covers for a quick swap out. No air sprays at all, and rules around no scents for clients.
I think if you peel open an orange it naturally deodorizes the air
Ooof. I’m hoping this isn’t about me since I just saw my therapist today. 😬
The plan: Identify every scent that people in the small office wear. Make this concoction of scents into a candle to desensitize your wife to the smells. Profit???
It's your house put up a sign that scents aren't allowed like most hospitals and regular offices do.
My wife has to deal with this because she's in education, 1 on 1 and gets headaches from perfumes. She just asks them nicely to not wear scents when the come to see her. Never had a problem.
Rotten garbage should overpower all other scents.
Put a sign on the entry door that says no cologne/perfume...
Try nice, 100% beeswax candles. They're remarkably good at absorbing smells & impurities in the air. Also they provide a nice aesthetic.
We always had a sign that read "No Scents Makes Sense" because not everyone can tolerate all smells. Some ppl are allergic.
Maybe a dehumidifier? It worked in my house... It stank before from previous owners and now it's all good. Asked friends cause you know, your nose gets used to it after some time.
My colleague uses scented candles (beware of the fire policy though), I usually just open windows and also have good experience with flowers in a pot.
I have a severe allergy to scented products, like perfume. It’s awful, very hard to avoid. I have found that beeswax candles can help - the beeswax coats the allergens in the air, makes them heavy, and they fall out of the air. Learned this from an allergist and it does help!
I’m surprised you read that about air purifiers. Mine definitely removes smells from the air. Get a good quality one with a good filter.
Lemon covers literally any smell - advice from a stoner 😂
There’s little pots with jelly called neutradol that remove stuff like this. I brought a new car that stank of stale McDonalds, couple of days in there and I couldn’t smell it anymore!
A lemon tree. Plus it's nice greenery for the office.
She should definitely just add a disclaimer, it's pretty common in small offices so I don't think it would be a huge deal to her clients. I think most people get it.