I really never had a problem with grunge when it exploded, probably due to the fact that at that point in my life, I was trying very hard to distance myself from the "popular" culture ie. radio, tv, etc. (and somewhat succeeding). I was getting more and more into underground metal and had only passing listens to what was big. I will not say that I did not hear "Smells Like Teen Spirit" a million times everywhere i went, but I never connected (even to this day) with any artist/band from that scene. But I will share your fear for its reappearance.
A real life fear/phobia that I do have (and for decades now) is accidentally walking into the wrong public washroom. For as long as I can remember I always double check and triple check that I am going into a "MENS" room.
I do not ever remember making the mistake, but it freaks me out. I always scan for urinals once I am in the washroom proper in case I did make a mistake. There was this rock club I used to attend that did not have M or F in english on the door. It had it written in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and a few other languages with foreign characters that I had no idea what was written. You would think that after going to this bar for the amount of times that I did over the years that I would have just realized that the door on the left was the MENS room, but I still waited to see who left. Needless to say, in a dark bar, some guys do look feminine and I had to wait until a few more folks entered or left. Probably looked like a sick freak to the other patrons. Ha, ha!
There. I have come clean.