Protection from fumes while driving?

[Strawberry]

It doesn't matter if it is a diesel truck in front of me, a very old car or pickup that is running rich, or a "street racer" car that has (??assuming) NOS, or the smell of raw gasoline. Is there any way of blocking that while in a car?

It depends on what the smell actually is, but my symptoms can vary from pain in the sinuses, headache, nausea, or with long drives in heavy traffic: stoned.

I try not to get behind a vehicle that I know will make me ill, and if I can get warning (blue smoke belching out of a tail pipe) I can turn the air to recirculated in the cabin. But that doesn't help much either.

Is there anything that anyone uses that reduces or eliminates these awful and sickening odors?

 

[perchance dreamer]

Strawberry, does your car let you circulate air in the car, but not bring in outside air?

I have a Prius, and the climate control gives you 2 choices, shown by a car icon and arrows. You can either bring in outside air or just circulate air in the car.

I usually use that second option because I hate getting behind a car with someone smoking. Cigarette smoke just slays me.

It serves me right: I did smoke myself for a long time although I quit decades ago. But since I quit, can't everybody else in the world?

 

[perchance dreamer]

Oh, @Strawberry. Looking back at your message, I see that you can do recirculated air. I wonder why that doesn't help? Is it that by the time you choose recirculated air, the fumes are already in your car, or does it not work well on your car in the first place?

I used to live in the Seattle area and remember how godawful traffic is. I do envy your light rail system, though. Austin has not fully gotten on board with light rail, and we need it badly.

 

[Strawberry]

@perchance dreamer I either hit the recirc air button too late, or I have to turn it off too early because the windows are fogged. Or I just don't know I am about to get fumigated until I can't breathe....

FWIW: What ever you remember about nasty traffic, its worse. City planners keep implementing "fixes", that actually mess traffic even more. For some reason they think removing lanes will improve flow. *headscratch* The light rail is nice, but nearly impossible to park anywhere. So it isn't used as well as it could be. Hopefully Austin has the room for expansion!

 

[Strawberry]

*bump*

Anyone have any helpful advice for being in a car?

 

[Invisible Woman]

When your car was serviced did you notice if they changed the air/pollution filter? Having this replaced regularly may help. It might also be worth checking if there is an upgrade available for your climate control/air system. So you might just have a standard filter but there may be better (& possibly more expensive) ones that will fit your car.

Another thing which might help (or just may make the whole thing worse) is if you have a deodourizer type air freshner fitted to the air inlets in the dash. Some of these work by enveloping the odour/pollutant molecule so it does less harm. Having said that the product itself may cause you problems....

There are also products like this from a UK website:
https://www.healthy-house.co.uk/lif...-accessories/amaircare-xr100-car-air-purifier

Failing all the above, I wonder if an allergy balm might at least take the edge off - you know the type you spread on the skin around the nostrils to help trap allergens.

 

[caledonia]

I don't know if you could install a charcoal filter as the cabin air filter, but you could certainly wear a personal charcoal filter mask. Other than that, you can find an environmental medicine specialist and get neutralization drops or other treatment.

I've had an improvement in chemical sensitivities with methylation treatment (improves your detox ability via raising glutathione). NAC or precursors to that are another possibility. NAC is a precursor to glutathione.

 

[PatJ]

When I'm around chemically scented candles I have to use one of these charcoal masks to avoid MCS reactions. It works very well. If you use one make sure to keep it in the bag when not in use to extend the life of the charcoal filter (otherwise it continues to filter whatever is in the air where the mask is stored.)

 

[Strawberry]

Another thing which might help (or just may make the whole thing worse) is if you have a deodourizer type air freshner fitted to the air inlets in the dash. Some of these work by enveloping the odour/pollutant molecule so it does less harm. Having said that the product itself may cause you problems....

Those make me very ill! bleh, my daughter uses them. But that car air purifier looks interesting. If it eliminates VOCs it should work on air pollution/exhaust fumes.

@caledonia @PatJ I will look into the charcoal face masks, I had no idea that they blocked fumes! I hate face masks, but maybe that is what I have to do.

 

[HowToEscape?]

Those make me very ill! bleh, my daughter uses them. But that car air purifier looks interesting. If it eliminates VOCs it should work on air pollution/exhaust fumes.

@caledonia @PatJ I will look into the charcoal face masks, I had no idea that they blocked fumes! I hate face masks, but maybe that is what I have to do.

That air filter is probably not going to be able to filter fast enough to keep up with incoming irritants. While a car is a very small space, it's not airtight even on recirc, that's by design. A charcoal mask in going to attract some strange looks, but it also has a chance of actually working: it only has to filter the tiny volume of air you breathe, not a car's worth. Those masks are also tested and certified to various levels (at least in the USA), so you can have a fair idea of what they can and can't do.
I'd also suggest allowing extra time and, if possible, planning a route around the worst congestion. That could help in 2 ways:
1. When there's space on the road, you can go around an smoke-belching clunkers, or let them go ahead if they're moving fast. Not an option when stuck in traffic.
2. Your stress level will be less, and I suspect that stress will multiply the effects of any fumes.

Running the AC helps some, because the sheet of water on the condenser (you don't see it, it's part of the AC system) grabs some of the dust passing over it. That part should be cleaned about once a year if you live in a humid area.

 

[Strawberry]

Running the AC helps some, because the sheet of water on the condenser (you don't see it, it's part of the AC system) grabs some of the dust passing over it. That part should be cleaned about once a year if you live in a humid area.

I definitely did not know this, and I will look into having it cleaned. My daughter is now in charge of maintenance on my car, so I will add the a/c condenser to her chore list.

I forgot to look for the face masks at the pharmacy the other day. I assume they will be there, next to the "normal" face masks?

 

[LornaRaindrops]

I haven't got an answer unfortunately, but I feel for you so much because I suffer the same thing. I don't try anymore as I can't ever put the gas into the car at the station and if I'm stuck behind something with bad fumes, it's awful. The only thing I can do when I'm a passenger is wrap a huge scarf around my face and breathe into that for a temporary time until we are in the clear. Fumes are awful. I really hope you manage to find a way to get on top of it. I'm struggling to find a way to deal with peoples perfumes and cologne. They make me so ill.

 

[maryb]

I spent £150 on one of the car air filters 12 months ago from healthy house, we got a new car, the interior smell was horrendous, it was either buy a filter or let the car go back which was a no no for my husband. it did the job and the off gassing has now finished, we don't use it now as it irritated my husband blowing air into the back of his neck

I wear one of the small air filters around my neck (Minimate) for when we're behind smelly traffic now, just switch it on and it works instantly,make sure you have it right where it blows straight up your nose, which is shorter than the photo shows, the car air filter takes time to clean the air - eg. 10 minutes is recommended before you get into the car. so doesn't work for instant hits you get from traffic, unless you have it running all the time.

 

[Strawberry]

@HowToEscape? Since you seem to know much about a/c, does the condenser (when clean) also help with VOCs? As I guess that is what the issue is considered.

@LornaRaindrops Don't you wish you could just scream to these women that douse themselves in perfume? UGH!

@maryb Is this what you are using? http://www.weinproducts.com/minimate.htm

 

[leela]

*bump*

Anyone have any helpful advice for being in a car?

I always have my charcoal mask in my bag, because where I live there are a ton of spewy vehicles on the road:
http://icanbreathe.com/products/icb-honeycomb-mask-with-classic-coconut-activated-carbon-filter

It also comes out when I am being followed by Perfume Lady, or Smoking Man. Very handy!

 

[maryb]

@Strawberry - yes that's the one, quite a flimsy bit of kit but it works, used to be a problem getting the battery in but they've changed the design a little now so that is easier to do. A few years ago I broke 2 due to that, then I lost the battery cover on another - another one bit the dust, its been quite an expense being like this