Dealing with smells

I can put up with most smells - except vanilla.   It really offends my nose.

I'm done with Christmas Cards said:

Things like pilchards in salads that people eat at their desks in the office

The Joys of modern office life!

Like you, I cannot abide a lot of smells.  In fact, I don't like most smells at all - especially what would be described as 'food' smells.  They often make me retch.

Everyone in my workplace knows I don't like the smell of food, and always warn me when they are about to prepare something for their lunch.  I must admit I got my own back once when I heated some kippers and it smelled out not only the office but the stairs to the front door.  I was told not to do it again by the manager!  But that is very unfair I thought as others make smells I don't like.

I usually remove myself from the office and have my butties in the air outside, but that is not really an answer. Trying to disguise smells with another one just 'mixes' them and can make me dislike a smell I previously liked.  Short of a space helmet, I don't think anything will help me tolerate the smells.  Like many other things, removing the problem (in this case by moving away from it) is my way of dealing with it.

Sometimes I think that air fresheners smell worse than what they are supposed to be covering up! Smells can definitely give you a headache - someone in my office sprayed really nasty perfume all over herself (in the office - surely that is something for the bathroom??) and I instantly got a migraine.

I keep a cotton scarf in my drawer that I will put across my face and breathe through in the even of any bad smells at work. It's surprising how much of the odour that prevents from making it into your nose. OK, you look like a bit of a freak, but I'd rather that than end up feeling ill. You could maybe get away with the same with a handkerchief, perhaps with something you actually like the smell of on it?

I have tried breathing through  my mouth instead of my nose, but that doesn't work. If the smell is strong enough, I can taste it too!

Yes good idea - I'm not sure what smell to go for though. Needs to be something strong enough to block the others out, but not strong enough to be annoying itself.

At home I've been known to burn incense sticks to cope with the late night fry-ups, these annoy my wife but thankfully I can use them in my hobby room.

Also once famously sprayed deodorant over my shoulder towards someone eating fish in the office :-) to keep the fishy smell away.

Maybe I should just bring a can of Oust to work :-)

Are there any smells that you like? You know how coroners rub Vapo-rub under their noses when dealing with bodies ( ;-) ), maybe you could have something pleasant smelling with you that you can sniff? Or rub on your hands to smell? I'm thinking mostly for situations at work if you can't just get up and go away from the smell