Fragrance-free rooms

The risks and disadvantages of having to rely on them

Some congregations and feast sites have provided a "fragrance-free room (FFR)," "environmental room," or "clean room." Usually a sign is put on the door, which is supposed to alert anyone wearing cologne to not enter the room. The room is provided with an audio hookup so the occupants can hear the services. Sometimes there is even a video feed to a TV monitor so the services can be seen. Sometimes the chairs are more comfortable than the seats in the auditorium, which is a treat.

These accommodations are much appreciated by those needing it to make it possible and safe for them to attend church services. However, even if an extra room in the building is available and affordable, it is not an ideal solution. Following are the risks and disadvantages of having to rely on the FFR.

It often is difficult to find a really clean room. In halls rented for church services, the room designated FFR is not a FFR the rest of the week. Often there are lingering odors of cigarette smoke and colognes, as well as mold, cleaning solutions, felt-tip markers, copy machines, air fresheners, etc.

It is often difficult to maintain the fragrance-free condition. Sometimes, church members or other people wearing cologne walk in without thinking of the no-cologne restriction. Sometimes it is someone trying to be helpful, such as a person may coming in to hook up a TV monitor. Sometimes just opening the door to get inside allows odors to come in. Sometimes the room has a movable divider as one wall, and odors come under and around the divider.

If the FFR does not have an outside entrance, getting to the FFR and back out again is like running a gauntlet. Those with MCS may be exposed to heavy doses of cologne in the lobby and hallways they must pass through.

To go to a restroom often means opening the door of the FFR, going down a hallway and into a restroom that are not fragrance-free, going back the same way and opening the door again.

Perhaps the most important downside is before and after the church services, because those with MCS generally desire to be among the brethren and fellowship as much as anyone else. The church members who are not wearing cologne could go into the FFR to visit them, but often they don’t think of it or get around to it. Thus those with MCS may go for many months not having face-to-face contact with their brothers and sisters in Christ.

Similar to the last point, most opportunities to serve on the Sabbath are denied those with MCS, since they are not able to do anything in the main auditorium.

Considering the above, there is not much advantage in being in a FFR over being at home listening to a tape recording. And being at home would eliminate the risk of being exposed to colognes.

Consider the following as a possibility. Most church members are very willing to refrain from using cologne when they know a fellow member would be adversely affected by it. Rather than having a "fragrance-free room" for the chemically-sensitive, a "fragrance room" or "cologne room" could be set aside for those who, after becoming aware of the chemical sensitivities of a fellow member, still want to come to services wearing cologne. Dr. Jay S. Gartner, an allergy and asthma specialist in Duncanville, Texas, said he heard of a church that did that. This is not a recommendation, but it is food for thought.

Sometimes a FFR is quite an asset even when it is not used every week. In some congregations, a chemically-sensitive member has been able to sit in the main auditorium on most Sabbaths. Then when visitors wearing cologne come in, or more members than usual are wearing cologne, the member with the sensitivity can retreat to the FFR.

All of us can help contribute to a fragrance-free environment, especially when we are going to be around our brethren, especially when we know that someone is especially sensitive to colognes and other scented products. Then we can enjoy spending time fellowshipping with them. Let’s be sensitive (mentally and spiritually) to the needs of those who are sensitive (physiologically) to chemicals.

by Don Hooser