Smells on the job

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I work in a cubicle, and my nose is very sensitive, especially to perfumes. My cube is in a corner at the end of 2 rows, and whenever people walk down the aisles, I am assaulted with whatever perfume they are wearing. A couple people that walk by I feel sickened by the smell and have to hold my breath or go for a walk when they come by.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to improve this situation? I love this job otherwise, and I don't want ask to move my desk because I'm right next to the window.

I wouldn't mind wearing nose plugs if I could find some that weren't very visible. Using an air freshener seems like a bad idea, it would just be adding more smells to the air.

Maybe a small fan blowing air out of your cubicle? That should prevent the smell from coming in so much... unless it comes in over the top of the wall instead.

That's a good idea. The smells do come in through the "doorway".

Lol I'm getting a hilarious mental picture now of people walking down the hall and almost being blown away by the fan's wind as they walk past your cubicle.

Lol. Don't think I'll get a fan that strong.

My only concern is what to tell people who ask about it...

"Why are you using a fan in the winter?"

"Because people smell"

Well, they say office cubicles can get kinda hot and stuffy - if yours is like that, then that's a good explanation for a fan. Even the idea of better air circulation is probably a reasonable enough explanation. Or you could just tell them they smell. It's actually a pretty common thing to be sensitive or even allergic to scents - a lot of buildings are going scent-free for that reason. So it's not just a freakish aspie thing.

Anyone else out there have more suggestions?

Here's a link to a website that caters to people like you (and me as well) www.Gaiam.com. They sell a mini air purifier that can sit on your desk, and help combat odors. It's called the Desktop Air Filter. I think they sell an even smaller model to wear around your neck, which does the same thing. If anyone asks, it is getting socially acceptable to say that you have chemical sensitivities. Hope this helps

$65 seems like a lot for me to spend right now on this, but I will definitely keep that in mind. Thank you.

I've had a small fan at my workstation for several years. Even when the temp is satisfactory, it is too stuffy and the fan circulates the air.

Perfumes generally don't bother me, but we get burnt food cooking smells from the nearby tea room and I find them oppressive; also when people cook smelly foods that have things like cabbage and brussels sprouts in them.

Some people are smelly too, either through having B.O., bad breath or wearing a stinky perfume (I find a few perfumes smell nasty). I also have issues with going to the toilets because some people must have a really bad diet and stink up the cubicles.
Then again, you get that with public toilets too, and even worse.

I think I may want to save up for the personal air purifier... I just walked by someone's desk and felt nauseous from the perfume. I think I can deal with telling people I'm sensitive to smells if I'm pursuing my own solution to it and not asking them to change. The personal purifier somehow seems less akward than a fan or purifier on my desk.

I don't have AS ( my son does) but I hear you with the whole smell thing. Where I live, nobody is allowed to wear perfume in the medical clinics and hospitals, that's how it should be. Strong perfumes can cause nasty migraines. Maybe you could tell a little white lie to your boss and they'll put that same rule in your ofice. The only thing worse than one bad perfume smell is a combination of multiples and BO. ARGHHHHH

I wish I had the guts to do something like that, but my office is very large, and my boss has many bosses above him.

I feel better just fixing the problem for myself and getting the personal air purifier. Sometimes I can't stand the smell of my own deodorant.

It's not about guts it's about your well-being. You can not perform 100% if something is ailing you. Simple as that. When I get whiff of a rotten stench I puke...would that be better to do in the office or should I speak up? You may even be able to get a note from a doctor if you have to and they must keep it all confidential.

It's getting to the point where the smells of most people that pass by are effecting me. Perfumes, deodorants, whatever. I think I'm getting sensory overload. Having people stop wearing perfume or wear less or whatever wouldn't really solve anything, and it wouldn't make much of anyone happy. If I get an air purifier I'm happier, and I don't have to go through the hassle of making other people change their habits.

It would be rather absurd to have a few hundred people make attempts to stop smelling just for me if I can just keep myself from smelling them.

AHH! Get ya! Sorry, I'm used to working in an environment where there are usually only about 15 people. Didn't mean to come across as ignorant. I hope everything works out for you.

Thank you for your concern. Yes, it's a little more difficult when it's a corporation.