To be offended about the plug-in comment?

[lavenderlooselips]

Last night I was forced to invited out with some people from work and it transpires one of my distant colleagues knows one of my good mum friends. When I was explaining how I knew this friend she said;
"Oh you're the one with hundreds of plug ins that give x the almighty headaches....hahahaha"

She spoke like it was some in joke but this is all new to me! I'm livid. I know it's not crime of the century to have plug ins but I'm angered at the fact she's obviously talking about me to others. Should I let on I know or secretly seethe or get rid of plug ins?? more plug ins and turn them up when she comes

Just in case anyone gets confused, reed diffusers and aromatherapy diffusers are NOT the same thing.

Aromatherapy diffusers work with water and a few drops of oil. They are much less intrusive than reed diffusers.

That is very rude of your friend but plug in air fresheners are grim. They do not mask the smell of wet dog.

Op. Ditch the room sprays too!
get one of these

And experiment with proper (100% pure essential oils) citrus ones are uplifting, and clean smelling. Don't be tempted to overdo it-less is more!

And ditch the zoflora too. Open windows and less overpowering cleaning chemicals are the way forward!

If the carpet has a Whiff of dog, sprinkle bicarbonate on the carpet and leave for half an hour then vac up. You could even sprinkle some essential oil on cotton wool balls and put them behind the radiator.

But only coz you asked. You can carry on exactly as you are you know! Just ditch the mate instead!

Once I'd got over being offended I think I might want to reflect that my visitors dislike the plug ins (they give me migraines) but don't feel able to say.

Agree that it was bitchy of your friend to say nothing to your face and carp behind your back, and extraordinarily tactless of the other woman to pass this on to you, but I'm with the migraineurs. I don't think I'm unduly sensitive to smells - I live in the country and am unfazed by cowshit, slurry spreading, strong-smelling silage, farmyards etc etc - but I couldn't be in your house without feeling violently ill.

I have always vaguely wondered who those plug-in air freshener ads were aimed at ...

Im keeping my plugins for now have them downstairs as my cats eat flowers and the little one attacks the reeds in reed diffusers, carpet still smells of the oil (how she didn't get covered in it I don't know) currently we have no shelves high enough to be out of the reach of little paws.

Upstairs in the bedroom I use an aromatherapy type plugin thing with lavender, which is much nicer to be honest but haven't found one that doesn't cost a fortune and looks good in my living room.

My house does not smell without plugins! i just like to have a scent, would prefer rituals reeds but as above just too risky with little cat, installing some shelves soon so may move accross to reeds then.

Keep your plugins OP!! Don't give in to all this peer pressure!!!

I once worked in a laboratory for a company that made plug ins. There was a small room in which every single plug in on the market, in every fragrance, 3x each, was plugged in so that they could time how long they lasted. I'm talking dozens of them in a windowless box room.

It was enough to burn your eyebrows off when you opened the door.

I loathe plug ins and aerosol air fresheners me want to heave.

Plug ins give me headaches I prefer party lite candles myself but I wouldn't be bothered if someone else had some

Regardless of your feelings on plug ins (I don't really mind them but my DM always says they give her a headache) it's very rude for people to be talking behind your back like that and then attempt to belittle you by bringing it up.

They give me a migraine, awful, awful earache and an awful sore throat. I hate them. From that perspective I can see how your friend may have talked about them but not been bitchy about it. She might have been feeling awful after visiting your house and met the person you have in common and explained why she was so sick. She may have asked the person's advice in whether or not she should say anything to you. Or she may have lamented choosing not to attend a party/visit to your house because of how sick she is afterwards.

Sorry OP, I hate plug ins and artificial smells too, make me feel a bit sick. Mind you I can't go in Lush at all, avoid cosmetic sections in shops and abhor the way in which duty free shops encourage people to try various perfumes before sitting in a sealed box (anywhere near me!). So, perhaps I'm not that typical.

I think that it's not that nice to feel people are bitching about how you live your life. And yet, if no one had said anything to you, you may have found people avoiding coming over and attributed it to something else. Your friend's perseverance in spite of the chemical smells illustrates what a great person you are. Perhaps the gossiper has done you a sort of favour?

Weird, essential oils give me migraines. My mum had an aromatherapy diffuser when I was young and it would make me feel so ill. Reed diffusers affect me similarly. The only things that don't affect me are synthetic scents, so I have 1 spray diffuser in the lounge/diner and a neutral in the bathroom because of DS, 2 top windows open year-round and that's it. Occasionally I'll light a scented candle when i'm feeling festive.

OP, these people were very rude.

*neutradol FFS

I'll admit to owning two plug-ins.

How else do people get rid of the smell of garlic and onions after cooking? Even with the back door open it hits you like a brick wall when you come back in. Same for home made curry.

Extractor fan.......... Simples.

Dog and fart smells can't be disguised with artificial air fragrance. Put the dog outside, open your windows and LTB.

Bit difficult to just install an extractor fan when you rent

Sorry OP but they are awful and dreadfully naff.

I have a friend who has them in every bloody room. You can't escape the cheap fug.

She also has stinky things dangling in her car. Bleurgh.

No air fresheners or room spray. Open windows whenever possible and light a good candle in the evening.

They are nasty and they do cause headaches imo but how dull does your life have to be before you talk about the ones at a friend's house to another friend who doesn't know who you're talking about?!

^This. To combat any animal smell I have neutradols (the little plastic balls with gel in).

I nearly lost control of my weak pelvic floor when one of those half hourly spray things erupted in my ear at a new neighbours housewarming party once. Spilled wine on her new rug

OP I dislike plugins because I do find the scent so unnatural and overwhelming. I keep windows open all year round, wash floors regularly and change dog bedding, sofa cushions and mats regularly as well.
In winter I use the odd candle or incense stick and leave the washing up bowl half full of diluted flash/liquid cleaner overnight. I also keep an emergency bottle of Febreze in the event of unexpected guests.

And btw that woman was bloody rude. But there's a lot of rudeness about it seems

Gad I hate the plug ins. Such a fake smell. I like candles but findon't just cleaning and opening windows every day is sufficient.

You can get good candles from Price to cover cooking smells. Open window and cleaning the hob after helps too. The garlic smells because it's infused in the oil which spatters around the hob normally

Bit difficult to just install an extractor fan when you rent hmm

Bit difficult to suggest workable solutions with only half the relevant info.

Don't cook curry? Normal fan to blow the odour out the open door or window? Clothes peg on the nose?