History Main / ClothespinNosePlug

* WesternAnimation/DangerMouse and Penfold are warding off Count Duckula with rotten eggs ("The Return of Count Duckula") but the vampire counters them with a clothes peg affixed to his beak's nostrils.

Using a clothespin is the most common variation of this trope, usually found in cartoons where they will be comically oversized. The bad smell will be played up with its VisibleOdor, perhaps resulting in a wrinkling of the nose, to which the character inexplicably pulls out a clothespin. The appearance of these is almost always PlayedForLaughs, even if the reason for it is to avoid a WeaponisedStench or a poisonous gas. Because trying to avoid a horrible smell that can kill you is [[ToiletHumour inherently funny]]. However, sometimes a clothespin is utilised to avoid smelling something ''good'', perhaps to avoid a delicious trap or to prevent yourself being [[FollowYourNose strung along by the scent.]]

Can be used to avoid {{Fartillery}}, a WeaponisedStench, a StinkBomb, a SmellySkunk, or a {{Gasshole}}, among other things. Expect one to highlight the [[SeriousBusiness severity]] of TheDiaperChange. Also used to emphasise that HumansAreSmelly, EvilSmellsBad, and a WiltingOdor.

* The ''WesternAnimation/DragonTales'' Mother's Day episode has a non-smell example: the gang journeys through a forest of giant dandelions, and Ord, who is [[PlotAllergy allergic to dandelions]], plugs his nostrils with clothespins so they won't make him sneeze. But when the [[VisualPun roaring dandelions]] threaten the group, Max takes off the clothespins so Ord's SneezeOfDoom will blast a way through to safety.

Can be used to avoid {{Fartillery}}, a WeaponisedStench, a StinkBomb, a SmellySkunk, or a {{Gasshole}}, among other things. Also used to emphasise that HumansAreSmelly, EvilSmellsBad, and a WiltingOdor.

* ''Series/ShiningTimeStation'': In "Stacy Cleans Up", the local dump closes and as a result, garbage bags pile up around the station. Rusty [=McRail=], an engineer with a trainload of garbage keeps picking up more, but no one wants to let him unload his train in their town. The odor of the garbage becomes so pungent that everyone in the station wears clothespins on their noses to block out the smell. Eventually, the solution is to weed the recyclable materials out to reduce the volume. Once the task is complete and Rusty is able to take his train to the new recycling center, Becky is relieved that everyone can use the clothespins the way they were meant to be used; to hang up their clothes.

* A non-smell variant is found in ''Literature/LittleWomen'': 12-year-old Amy sometimes sleeps with a clothespin on her nose to try to give it a less flat, more "Grecian" shape. It doesn't work.

* A non-noseplug variation in ''Film/SilenceOfTheLambs'': the police officers rub Vicks [=VapoRub=] under their noses to ignore the smell of a corpse they're examining.

* ''Film/SuperheroMovie'': Rick Riker is trying to have a serious conversation with his crush, Jill Johnson, only for Rick's {{gasshole}} Aunt Lucille who's napping nearby to unleash an uncontrollable barrage of farts while in her sleep. Cue Jill using ''tampons'' as an improvised noseplug until Rick brings out a scented candle.

Sometimes, using your fingers to block out a bad smell just isn't enough. The solution? Simply force your nostrils shut with a clothespin! What, you don't have one? [[BlatantLies Everybody carries around a clothespin]]. Well, in that case, stuff some tissues up your nose. Or a cloth, or a canary, or whatever else you have that can save your olfactory receptors from that awful stench.

Using a clothespin is the most common variation of this trope, usually found in cartoons where they will be comically oversized. The bad smell will be played up with its VisibleOdor, perhaps resulting in a wrinkling of the nose, to which the character inexplicably pulls out a clothespin. The appearance of these is almost always PlayedForLaughs, even if the reason for it is to avoid a WeaponisedStench or a poisonous gas. Because trying to avoid a horrible smell that can kill you is [[ToiletHumour inherently funny]].

Note this trope involves using a makeshift noseplug for the purpose of avoiding an odour because it smells bad, not for any other purpose like trying to not pass out, although they can overlap. Also note the 'makeshift' aspect must involve an unusual object, so anything from fingers to holding your breath is not this trope. Tends to ignore the fact that [[JustForFun/TelevisionIsTryingToKillUs having a clothespin latched onto your nose for even a brief period hurts like hell,]] [[CoconutEffect and is also not that effective at blocking out smells.]]

** When Twilight gets sprayed by a skunk, Spike washes her in tomato soup with a clothespin on his nose, along with a look of disgust.

* ''Series/SesameStreet'': In one episode, three Grouches travel from their home in Grouchytown to take a tour of Sesame Street. Besides sunglasses to shield their eyes from sunny smiles, they've brought clothespins for their noses, which they quickly put on when they notice the "horrible smell" of the vanilla ice cream Maria and Bob are eating.

* ''Animation/BoBoiBoy'': When Adu Du creates the [[OnionTears Onion Monster to make the heroes cry so he can get the DNA of BoBoiBoy's tears]], Yaya and Ying are the first to find a way to fight it without tearing up - by nipping their noses with clothespins and wearing goggles. When they explain that they learned this from chopping onions at home, the Onion Monster starts becoming scared of them.

* ''Series/SesameStreet'': In one episode, three Grouches travel from their home in Grouchytown to take a tour of Sesame Street. They've brought clothespins for their noses, which they quickly put on when they notice the "horrible smell" of the vanilla ice cream Maria and Bob are eating.

** Spike goes through a molting process in 'Moltdown' which produces, among other things, a bad-smelling odor that attracts predators. Zecora uses two clothespins in order to not breathe in the stench.

* ''Series/SesameStreet'': In one episode, three Grouches travel from their home in Grouchytown to take a tour of Sesame Street. They've brought clothespins for their noses, which they quickly put on when they notice the "horrible smell" of the vanilla ice cream Bob and Maria are eating.

* ''Series/SesameStreet'': In one episode, three Grouches travel from their home in Grouchytown to take a tour of Sesame Street. They've brought clothespins for their noses, which they quickly put on when they get a whiff of the "horrible smell" of the vanilla ice cream Bob and Maria are eating.

* In ''Creator/FawcettComics'' ''Funny Animals'' comic-run, the character [[SmellySkunk Sammy Skunk]] wore a clothespin on his nose as his permanent attire, to avoid smelling his ''own'' stench.

* ''ComicStrip/MotherGooseAndGrimm'': In the March 3rd 2005 issue, Grimmy gets sprayed by a SmellySkunk, complete with VisibleOdor, and Mother Goose goes to the doctor for help. The next panel has the doctor flatly saying to use clothespins as he hands them one each, with one already on his own nose.

* ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'': At one point in ''Changes'' (book 3 of the Collegium Chronicles), while Mags is searching for a team of assassins sent to Haven, he discovers the assassins eliminated the previous team for failure. The bodies had been left in a sealed building during summer, and had begun to rot by the time they were found. Several Guardsmen throw up from the stench, before one of them starts handing out scarves soaked in mint for everyone to wrap around their faces.

* In ''WesternAnimation/LegendsOfChima'', when Skinnet is around everyone uses clothespins on their noses. In this world it's almost like plugging your nose is SeriousBusiness, since the ravens triple the price of the clothespins.

[[quoteright:1000:[[ComicStrip/MotherGooseAndGrimm https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mgg_2005_03_03_1.gif]]]]

* A non-noseplug variation in ''Film/SilenceOfTheLambs'': the police officers rub Vicks VapoRub under their noses to ignore the smell of a corpse they're examining.