Items you should never leave in your car during the hot weather

This week many people are venturing out to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Marking 70 years since she took to the throne, people across the UK – the majority of which are in England – are having street parties, afternoon tea and BBQs to mark the occasion.

This is all happening during the special four day bank holiday which began on June 2 and set to end on June 5.

READ MORE – Edinburgh food challenge sees diners take on endless mac & cheese for new record

However during this period, the weather in the Capital is set to brighten up meaning many of us will be avoiding staying in doors where possible in a bid to soak up some sun.

According to weather forecasters, Edinburgh is set to see highs of 17C across the last two days of the Jubilee celebrations with very little rain expected.

However with things getting hotter as we get closer to summer, there are a few things that people should never leave in their cars – and with many people travelling – it could be a good time to note what these are.

Six items people should never leave in their car during the hot weather

According to GSF Car Parts, car interiors can quickly suffer a greenhouse effect in hot weather with the sun heating solid objects – such as the dashboard – meaning heat soon radiates around the car.

This mean that if, for example, the outsi de temperature is 16C, a car interior can easily reach a scorching 38C.

They add that whilst many people might not think twice about leaving the items behind, the consequences of storing them in your car vary from electronic devices overheating to large cleaning bills.

Simon Moore from GSF Car Parts said: “As we experience this warmer weather, lots of people might be leaving various items in their car out of habit. Most of the time in the UK, our weather is mild or cold enough that leaving things like electronics, batteries and bottled water in your car isn’t a problem.

“But in hot weather, it’s very important to remember to take these things out of the car with you, in case they become damaged or even explode in your vehicle. By taking these items out of your car and finding cooler places to store them during the heatwave, you’ll save yourself some money by not having to repair damage or have your car cleaned.

“So, it’s worth making a note to clean most things out of your car when you leave it parked in the sunshine. At this time of year, cars can rise to very hot temperatures, so be mindful of what you’re leaving out in the vehicle.”

So what are these six items that people should avoid leaving in their vehicle?

Bottled water

It’s easy to accidentally leave bottled water in your car but you should think twice before leaving the plastic bottles out in the heat.

This is because as the temperature rises, chemicals from the plastic bottle can leak into the water, making it less safe for you when you come to drink it.

Plastic bottles can also magnify sunlight enough to start a fire, putting your vehicle at risk.

To be on the safe side, it’s best to bring the water inside with you and store it in the fridge, to prevent the heat from affecting it.

If you’ve ever drunk bottled water that’s been left out in the hot sun, you might have noticed that it seems different — this is the taste of the molecules that have leaked from the plastic into the drink. So, keep water out of the car to avoid the plastic heating up, and keep it tasting fresh.

Wine and beer

Leaving a fizzy drink in your car can lead to more than just a strange taste with one person who left a bottle of Prosecco in her car in the hot weather, said to have had it explode and leave her with a £2,258 cleaning bill to repair the damage!

The explosion took place because some alcoholic drinks change composition above 25C. When this happens, wines and beers will become sour, vinegar-like liquids. As the chemical composition of the beverages changes, both cans and bottles are liable to explode due to the increased pressure. Other alcoholic drinks, such as spirits, can change flavour and composition in a hot car too. The best policy is to avoid leaving alcohol in your vehicle for long periods in the heat.

Batteries

Avoid leaving batteries in your car when it’s hot as these are small and easy to forget or lose track of.

Batteries can rupture or leak acid if left in high temperatures for a long time with battery manufacturers recommending people not to leave their products out in the heat for this reason.

When the battery heats up, it can disrupt its protective structure and leak acid into your car. Battery acid is corrosive, and is also dangerous if inhaled, so if you do come back to your car to find an exploded battery, make sure to get it cleaned as soon as possible. Even if the battery doesn’t leak, it can also lose capacity after being left in your car, so it’s worth bringing them inside to store.

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Electronic devices

Always take your phone and any other electronic devices out of your car if you’re going to be leaving it for any length of time. Lots of phones have a safe temperature window that they can operate within, and you can look this up on the manufacturer’s website. It will also state the maximum temperature that your phone can cope with. Many phones also show you a warning when they begin to overheat, so when you see this you should move them to somewhere cooler.

Other electronic devices should also be kept out of hot vehicles. The heat might cause damage to the batteries or any plastic casing, or overheat them so that the operating system doesn’t work correctly.

Sunscreen

Sunscreen is another item that’s very easy to forget and leave in your car when you’re out taking in the sunshine. But if you leave it in your vehicle too long, you might come back to find it smelling quite strange, and in extreme heat, the cap of the bottle may have opened due to pressure.

Sunscreen that has been left out in the heat tends to become unusable as it congeals due to the temperature. It’s advisable to treat it like expired sunscreen and replace it.

Aerosol cans

Like phones, many aerosol products that you buy will come with a recommended temperature and a note about not using or storing them over the recommended maximum temperature. This recommendation is made by the manufacturer because these highly pressurised products are sensitive to heat.

If the temperature around them is outside of their ideal window, the contents of the can will expand. If the contents of the aerosol can expands enough, it will be at risk of exploding and causing damage to your car. At the very least, you’ll have to spend time cleaning up after the explosion, so it’s worth remembering to take these products inside with you to find a cooler storage spot.

It’s very easy to forget to bring everything inside when you’ve parked your car, particularly when you’re out and about taking in the sunshine. But remembering to take these items out of your car when it’s hot will save you an expensive cleaning bill, or having to replace items like electronics and batteries due to heat damage. So, make a note of which things you need to take out of your car when you park it, and avoid paying for cleaning or damage.