What You Should Never Leave in Your Car

Things You Should Never Leave In Your Car

We may have learned to “hide” items like packages or other enticing items when we leave them in the car—they could be too tempting for a thief to resist, after all. Beyond valuables, pets and small children, there are things that should never be left unattended in a car under any circumstances.

Dangers range from ruining a product to making it explode. Here’s a quick run-down of some of the most common things you should never leave in your car.

1. Cell Phones and Other Electronics

Electronic devices can be categorized as one of those irresistible items that just invite a break in, but there are other reasons to never leave these expensive items in a car. Have you ever accidently left your phone behind in your car? Besides feeling oddly disconnected from the world, leaving a cell phone in your car may result in an unpleasant surprise when you return. You might find a message telling you the phone has overheated; you won’t be able to use it until it cools down. Worse-case scenario, though, is that it could have exploded. Electronics in general can be seriously damaged by too much heat, which can happen in a car sitting in the sun. So all electronics are number 1 things you should never leave in your car.

2. Bottled Water

Thanks to the growing awareness that we need to stay hydrated, carrying a plastic bottle of water around has become fairly common. Problem is, there are times we may decide to leave it in the car. The biggest danger here is the harmful effect of overheating—the BPA (bisphenol A) from plastics have been found by the FDA to be released from the plastic when it heats up, and that means the potentially harmful chemical can be added to the water or beverage it in the bottle. The sun can also beam a concentrated ray of heat to through a clear plastic bottle to burn the upholstery.

3. Sunscreen

No matter the SPF, that sunscreen you keep handy when you’re out and about can be damaged, or cause damage, if left in a hot car. At the least, heat can reduce its ingredients’ effectiveness. Unfortunately, overheating can also cause it to explode all over your car’s interior. Oops.

4. Bottle of Wine

An unopened bottle of wine left in a car can cause problems. At the very least, the heat can affect the wine’s flavor. The heat might also cause the cork to swell and the wine to leak. If the heat is extreme, you’ll really be sorry because the cork could come out entirely and you’ll have a nasty wine spill.

It is best to be on the safe side. Don’t leave these items as well as food, pets or children in your car and you’ll avoid some messy or even tragic consequences. Keep in mind those things you should never leave in your car and you will be safe to go.