What do you folks do to circumvent/cope with smell sensory overload?

I use Volant tea tree essential oil. It helps.

Usually  I put tea tree, peppermint, and eucalyptus in a diffuser to make my house feel fresh n clean and sometimes I use pine and cinnamon to make it smell more earthy and warm

I always wear a scarf (I look really strange in summer) and if a smell overwhelms me I just discreetly put the scarf over my nostrils and this helps me.

I move away.

I use to work on farms when I was younger so for me smell sensory has never been issue. Once you've spent your youth mucking out pig *** and cattle *** you kind of get use to that or cleaning out Greece traps in kitchen's.

Carry a handlerchief that you can put a scent on eg lavender when things are too much. 

Avoidance.

Open windows.

Be outside more where air can blow away smells quickly.

OH - I am exactly the same with clothing & linens. I'll buy 100% wool and just mist them with water mixed with natural oils: cedar, lavender, bergamot. But finding 100% cotton is becoming increasingly difficult. It's almost impossible to find under-clothes which don't at least have a percent of petroleum-by-product derived fabrics and in a fire these will turn to a plastic and melt against your skin, which tells you a lot about the composition. I am open to all natural fibres, but even finding a cotton raincoat which is coated with natural beeswax rather than petroleum-based waxes is difficult and the Vegan community is not making it easy - It's not hard to reward better ethics, but that's a whole other topic. 

Off-gassing of mattresses, sofas, carpet is WELL KNOWN and merely tolerated. I cannot even work out why. From the research I've found, we know that we know these particulates cause cancer. Same with chemical scents. It's amazing. In the states, Proctor and Gamble are untouchable. Laws will be made to protect corporations more than citizens. :(

I completely agree, it's ridiculous how unregulated the air fresheners and perfumes industry is. These things stink with extremely strong, overpowering chemical smells and I don't understand how other people are unaware of this, or even voluntarily choose to spray themselves with them.

We know that a lot of these chemicals are harmful, but the industry is less regulated than food. Breathing harmful things in is tolerated whereas people would be less likely to ingest a known toxin, but these chemicals do get absorbed by our lungs.

Fumes from cars are obviously bad, and we know that, but society has decided it's worth the trade off. But I'm even surprised at things like the artificial fabrics used in soft furnishings. My mum bought me some blackout curtains to put up from Dunelm Mill and I've had to take them down and throw them away because they gave off a really strong and unpleasant chemical smell that was a bit like the smell of vomit, especially whenever the sun was on them. And it would give me headaches.

Apparently it's common for these artificial fabrics to "off gas" volatile organic compounds from the manufacturing process, and we know they are harmful, but it's just tolerated because as a society we want things to be cheap and fire-proof and have certain properties.

I try to stick to natural fabrics like cotton. I even find the artificial fabrics feel unpleasant against my skin. When people have bought me sports clothing that's meant to "wick away" moisture or have antibacterial coating to prevent smells, I find it's itchy or has an overpowering sensation on the skin that is distracting.

I can't stomach garlic either. I have personally found half a lemon to help neutralise it. Even the 'smell' which has particles of it's chemistry can affect my stomach and keep me awake all night as well. And so, the lemon.

From what I'm reading, it sounds like an inquiry to neutralising chemicals which affect our biology.

Smoke (from bonfires): "Smoke is made up of a complex mixture of gases and fine particles produced when wood and other organic materials burn. The biggest health threat from smoke is from fine particles. These microscopic particles can penetrate deep into your lungs. They can cause a range of health problems, from burning eyes and a runny nose to aggravated chronic heart and lung diseases. Exposure to particle pollution is even linked to premature death."

These same particles would be involved in roadworks - dust and exhaust. Our sense of 'smell' is used to detect both agreeable and disagreeable things when we're not in tune with what it's doing to our lungs or gut.

Chemicals which are designed for scented candles, perfume, cleaning agents, incense plug ins, etc. are also incredibly harmful to your health. I amazed cigarette smoking is banned but the use of air sprays, plug-ins, incense and scented candles in public is not. It's completely unreasonable. The reason you happen to find organic or natural oils work is because they're natural rather than toxic chemicals/pollutants, but extracts of flowers which the human body is not poisoned by.

While Activated charcoal can absorb smells, odours and chemicals, you may need a good deal around the house to attract the particulates if there's a chaotic amount incoming. Open units of bicarbonate of soda, the same. If it were me, I'd have several filter masks (such as these https://cambridgemask.com) around the house. Don't plug up your nose, though. It's still safer to breathe through it rather than your mouth as it's designed to warn you when you're being harmed or poisoned from bacteria or gases or whatever else, and it can filter some of these things.

However, if you want a quick fix while out (relief from smells) a container of coffee beans to inhale occasionally can do the trick, as these are also used as a palette cleanser in perfumeries.

Personally, I feel more laws need to be created to protect individuals from the companies making these chemicals and more awareness in general is necessary.

Oh this is a really useful thread. I never coped with it. Part of why I don't have a flatmate is because I absolutely cannot stand cooking smells that come from the hippie food preferences of most people my age. I literally lose sleep over remnants of fried garlic scents wafting into my bedroom from someone's lunch.

Yes, that's more or less what I do, with some added coping tools that I carry everywhere. Sometimes I cannot get away though, and then meltdown ensues. One of the worst for me is hospital. I desperately need treatment but I'm unable to accept it. I did it before, but all the smells and tastes of tubes down throat after anaesthetic and all the sterile smells every and rubber and plastic... I can't cope with it and don't know what to do.

Avoidance is the only thing that works for me as well. I try to get away from whatever is causing the smell, and avoid situations where there will be strong smells. When I am forced into one, I will hold my breath and move away, and also breathe very lightly in and then forcefully out through my nose to "get rid" of the smell.

Smell is a really difficult one, because unlike sight you can't close your eyes and unlike sound, you can't cover your ears or listen to music. Smells pervade and travel very long distances so it's difficult to get away from them.

Smell is the sense most people  don't notice so much these days . If you breath through your mouth you can close your nose it is alot better . I have to consciously not smell things ,like food  as alot just smells wrong ,yesterday we had wraps there were two types ,one smelt like incense the other like dry dog food .  some smoke and fuel are really bad .  Thats the big problem it is really hard to escape smells , one of the worst has got to be perfume .

Yes, I imagine it smelt very bad... but different. Probably lots of bad body smells, fish stalls, breweries, veg markets, flood water from rivers breaking the banks, sewage, etc. One thing they wouldn't have had though would have been petrol exhaust, greasy chip shops, pneumatic drills, etc! 
  I have considered buying a vinaigrette off eBay. But I have a concern over lead being in them, and anything that's sterling silver is very expensive. Vinegar, ironically, is one of my biggest smell hates, but there are smells that could help. Something about sticking my nose in someone else's old trinket just doesn't sit kindly with me though... 

Wow that's fascinating! Thank you for sharing this! 

I cannot imagine living in the 19th century with all the cacophony of smells that must have been around - and, more specifically, not being able to avoid them! One part of me wants to know what the smell landscapes would have been like, but only briefly and with the 'volume down'!!

Do you think it's possible to make one of these today? Maybe by restoring one of the trinkets, or using something else, and using vinegar or safe essential oils?

No, not the same as salad vinaigrettes. They are usually antiques now, and usually some sort of metal trinket (sometimes sterling silver) that has a meshed base at the bottom where a little sponge sits. They were popular in the 19th century when ladies of the upper classes traveled through London (because London did/does not discriminate and smells awful to all classes!!) and they would either have pre-soaked the sponge in vinegar (hence name) or more often than not, in perfume. They'd take this everywhere with them and when environmental smells became overwhelming, they'd take comfort from the vinaigrette. Incidentally, back then there was a strong belief in the medical community that smelling bad smells actually caused diseases, so there was extra incentive for people not to breathe in the whiffy streets of town.

You're welcome! I'm fascinated by your vinaigrette idea - is this the same as salad vinaigrettes? Oil + lemon juice mixture?

Definitely with you on the commercial plug-in scents - they're so bad! I like the essential oils too. That's along the lines I was thinking.

Good luck! 

I tend to have scheduled in rest days, so if I have a busy couple of days, I make sure to have days when I do absolutely nothing.

Hi Mantra,

  Thanks, some good ideas. I do like the idea of air con, but as you say, pretty expensive. Last year I did discover some essential oils I like the smell of, and I bought myself a clay oil burner. Can't stand all the commercial plug-ins and automatic 'puff' sprays, they're usually horribly cloying smells and they 'puff' too frequently. But being able to control the oil burner is nice and that's helping somewhat. I haven't tried it over a summer though yet, and of course this is just a stationary environment solution and won't help with the stuff out in the world.
  Someone has just recommended cotton wool for up the nose which doesn't sound half bad! Like you, I cover my face when I can't get away from it. Like if in a hospital, I have a scarf that I wrap around my face (as well as ear defenders, baseball cap for the light/movement, etc. I look a sight). 

A kind of perfect solution for me would be if autism shops started stocking something along the lines of the badger balm coping strategy I use. i.e. a range of different smelling balms certified safe for putting that close to nostrils for breathing. That, and vinagraittes! I tried to buy a vinagraitte from eBay but because they're no longer made it means buying antique, and then there worries about lead, etc.

The search continues.

Yes, I always try that first but not always possible to get out, for example smells in a hospital and having to sit in that environment for long periods of time. I cover my face with a scarf. Haven't tried cotton wool to block nose though, might give that a go, thanks!

Btw, I'm brand new on here and trying to navigate this site is difficult for me. I gladly accepted your friend request, but no idea how I could message you/anyone directly on here? Saw your profile and your book interests, and just wanted to say if you're a fan of Aurelius, you might enjoy Seneca: Letter from a Stoic. It's like a 2000 yr old self-help book! ISBN 9780140442106 and I think Blackwells currently has it cheapest. Sorry to rest of people on thread, this is something that I would have sent DM if I could have found such an option....