Never leave these 10 things inside your car

“Come on, I bought a car so I have somewhere to leave my things!” You might be yelling, out loud or in your head. While some things are harmless to leave inside your ride, there are still some day-to-day items that you should stop leaving in there, especially if you’ll be gone for hours at a time. You don’t want a messy cabin when you get back from a stressful day at work, right?

Never leave these 10 things inside your car if you don’t want to regret them later:

Cosmetics

Shoutout to the beauty-guru drivers out there! Your cabin becomes a scorching oven under the sun and could reach a temperature nearly twice as high as the outside. Plastic containers can possibly melt in this condition!

So stop leaving your makeup kit in your car, if you don’t want stains on your upholstery when the sun is too hot to melt your lipstick.

Medicines

Medicines have storing requirements. We’ve known this since we learned it in Chemistry!

Generally, medicines need to be stored between 59 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit in a cool, dry place. This temperature range is crucial. Depending on the temperature, some drugs can change their chemical composition and components.

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Plastic bottled water

I might need it later.

We leave plastic bottles behind a lot with all the intentions to do so. But did you know drinking water that has been exposed to high temperatures inside your cabin is not healthy?

Bottled water left for too long under the sun can lead to a chemical reaction to the plastic itself. Polyethylene terephthalate, which is also used in clothing fibres, transfers to the water when it is heated, making it harmful to drink.

Sunscreens and sunblock

Sure, sunblocks and sunscreens are supposed to protect you from the heat of the sun but newsflash: They’re still made of chemicals. As mentioned above, the plastic used in the containers of your products can easily be heated and cause reactions to the product inside. So be careful when storing these items inside your car!

Pets or animals

This shouldn’t even be in this list but we’ll add it anyways for an excuse to ask for pictures of your adorable furiends.

We want to believe nobody ever does this but sadly, some do.

Please, never leave your pets behind! Your car can heat up as hot as an oven under the scorching sun and leaving your pet inside while you go grocery shopping is pure torture.

Flammable things

A lot of drivers like to smoke while waiting in the middle of traffic so most have a tobacco stash somewhere in their cabin. Leaving behind anything flammable like a lighter has got to be one of the most dangerous things you can ever do.

It typically doesn’t burn the whole car, but when it bursts out due to the heat, it destroys the upholstery of your car. Cracks may appear on your car windows as a result of the blast.

If you park your car, keep your lighters out of the cabin at all times. You shouldn’t store rubbing alcohol inside your car, nor do you store batteries inside your car. Being careful is better than taking a risk.

Valuable objects

This should be common sense!

Things like a laptop, wallet, tablets, coins, et cetera, shouldn’t be placed in plain sight. Much better to take everything with you when you leave! You don’t want to come back to your car to see your windows cracked and your valuables were stolen.

Heat and electronics often do not mix well. The reason isn’t their plastic components, but the electronics’ circuitry, which will melt in the heat.

Car Keys

Duh. The very thing that gets your car started is something you should never leave behind. Not only do the high temperatures damage the keys and possibly the electronics, but they also prevent you from using your vehicle and even gaining entry.

In today’s vehicles, the key fob does have a safety mechanism that prevents the doors from locking if you leave it inside, but in older vehicles without this feature, it means either a trip to a local locksmith or receiving spare keys in the mail.

Groceries

Make your grocery run the last thing on your errands list. In most cases, perishable food should be refrigerated within two hours. You have a much shorter window when it is summer. The USDA recommends not leaving food out for more than an hour if it is over 90°F. Here’s a quick list of things and the hours they can be left outside the fridge:

1. Meat — 2 hours
2. Cheese/Dairy — 2 hours
3. Bread — 4 days
4. Fruits — a week or more
5. Vegetables — until ripe
6. Eggs – a month

Aerosol cans

It’s for good reason that aerosol cans’ warning labels say not to store in temperatures above 120°F. As the product’s temperature rises, so does the pressure inside, allowing continuous spraying. It’s rare but if you leave it in direct sunlight, the heat in the car can get so intense that the aerosol explodes.

Final Thoughts

Your car is built to withstand extreme temperatures. However, that’s not always the case for stuff you leave in a car. There are some items you shouldn’t leave in your trunk after you park, not just the pound of hamburger from the grocery store, and this list can come in handy.

What else do you think should be added to this list?

You may also be interested in 5 Top Tips for Leaving Your Car Static When Working from Home.