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Old 09-18-2019, 11:57 PM
 
313 posts, read 263,175 times
Reputation: 603

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This is what comes in our windows nearly round the clock now. We're unable to keep windows open on hot days/nights. It's rare if the air smells fresh around our home. This harmful pollution makes us feel sick. It's hard to believe this is allowed/accepted now. Has anyone tried to stop this, or written/called the maufacturers of laundry products? It's chemical trespass when it exits the polluters dryer vent and enters my open windows and yard space.

 
Old 09-19-2019, 12:17 AM
 
Location: on the wind
22,952 posts, read 18,253,681 times
Reputation: 74298
Guess you'll be moving soon, right?

Nothing about what your neighbors are doing is illegal. At least not yet. I don't choose scented anything either but I have to recognize that I can't demand that others cater to my wishes.
 
Old 09-19-2019, 07:18 AM
 
9,763 posts, read 7,580,273 times
Reputation: 24268
How close are your neighbors? Can you plant trees or big shrubs between your homes to help block the smell?
 
Old 09-19-2019, 09:43 AM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,186 posts, read 80,348,343 times
Reputation: 57055
The only real option is move to a place where the homes are farther apart, or at least make sure that the neighboring houses have their dryer vents facing away from your house. Our neighborhood is lots of about 12-13,000 sf, and being on a corner lot our dryer vent and both neighbor vents are all "aimed" at the back of someone else's back yard. We use the nasty smelling dryer sheets from Costco and don't even smell them in our own house. We only do laundry on Sundays, and it takes about 4 hours. The dryer sheets also work to discourage moles if you place them in the tunnels.
 
Old 09-19-2019, 12:11 PM
 
Location: Wine Country
6,103 posts, read 8,770,502 times
Reputation: 12324
Quote:
Originally Posted by Withinpines View Post
This is what comes in our windows nearly round the clock now. We're unable to keep windows open on hot days/nights. It's rare if the air smells fresh around our home. This harmful pollution makes us feel sick. It's hard to believe this is allowed/accepted now. Has anyone tried to stop this, or written/called the maufacturers of laundry products? It's chemical trespass when it exits the polluters dryer vent and enters my open windows and yard space.
Round the clock? Do you live near a laundromat?
Your neighbors are not doing anything wrong.
You have a couple of options:

Move.
Turn on or get yourself an air conditioner so you don't have to keep your windows open.
Plant a tree or some other shrubbery to block like another posted suggested.
Get an air purifier and put it near the offending smells.
Or just deal with it.
 
Old 09-19-2019, 12:24 PM
 
3,211 posts, read 2,951,064 times
Reputation: 14632
Since you're breathing your neighbors' dryer vents, I suggest moving to a decent-sized lot.
 
Old 09-19-2019, 08:22 PM
 
Location: near bears but at least no snakes
26,640 posts, read 28,483,062 times
Reputation: 50458
Can you have a talk with them? Some of that stuff is really toxic--the fabric softeners people use, I don't know how they stand the smell. I get the stench sometimes walking around the neighborhood but not in my own home.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/dr...xic-chemicals/

I only read this fast but it seems to admit that some of the chemicals are dangerous. I think it said there was a form of Bounce that was pretty acceptable. Maybe suggest to the neighbors that the odor gives you terrible headaches? Then tell them about one of the alternatives. It seems that people who use stuff are going to use stuff anyway so you would have to give them an alternative to use. Formaldehyde, acetone--you don't really want to be breathing it and some of the "fragrances" smell terrible.
 
Old 09-19-2019, 11:11 PM
 
313 posts, read 263,175 times
Reputation: 603
Thanks for these suggestions. We have overcast days, clouds hold pollution down trapping it in our air space. The nearly round the clock smell boggles us. One neighbor with a large family works a night/swing shift schedule and does laundry at 4 am. Another has teenagers who keep late night hours doing laundry. There are different "flavors" at different times and we dont plan on knocking on our neighbors doors. It's not their fault these new formulations are too strong smelling. We've just dealt with it for about four years. The smell makes us feel sick and one of our children has asthma. Cloudy, windless days cause stagnate air. A sunny, windy location would be healthier, having less pollution. I'm guessing this is the new normal with everything being overly scented. I never imagined the air coming in my windows would be chemically fragranced....it's odd this is ok with people.
 
Old 09-20-2019, 12:13 AM
 
914 posts, read 635,480 times
Reputation: 2680
Quote:
Originally Posted by Withinpines View Post
This is what comes in our windows nearly round the clock now. We're unable to keep windows open on hot days/nights. It's rare if the air smells fresh around our home. This harmful pollution makes us feel sick. It's hard to believe this is allowed/accepted now. Has anyone tried to stop this, or written/called the maufacturers of laundry products? It's chemical trespass when it exits the polluters dryer vent and enters my open windows and yard space.
That would totally suck not to be able to open your windows and smell fresh air or fresh cut grass, or the beautiful aromas from the garden. Consider living where I do, in a neighborhood where most days you can't even open a window unless you want your entire house and clothes smelling like curry or hukkah.

Trust me, both seem 'toxic' to me when it gets too heavy, which is most on Sundays ALL DAY starting in early AM.
 
Old 09-20-2019, 01:33 AM
 
Location: Eugene, Oregon
11,119 posts, read 5,539,777 times
Reputation: 16595
Scented detergent smells foul to me, but it's only an occasional problem in my neighborhood. I've started using these little detergent pods of a less-expensive store brand, that has no scent or dye added.
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