Things You Shouldn't Leave in a Freezing Cold Car

If it’s freezing cold out, you may be tempted to dash from the car into the house, leaving whatever’s in your car for another day. Many common items should absolutely not be left in the car when the temperatures drop below freezing.

Swipe through to learn what you should not leave in your car during very cold weather.

Don’t leave water bottles or anything containing water—such as cans of soda—in your car when it’s freezing out. Water expands as it turns to ice, and can crack plastic bottles or cause aluminum cans to explode.

Don’t leave eyeglasses or sunglasses in a cold car. The frames and lenses are susceptible to cracking, breaking and warping when exposed to freezing temperatures. Extreme cold can also shorten the lifespan of protective coatings on eyeglass lenses.

Then lithium-ion batteries used by many mobile phones, headphones and portable computers are not designed to endure very cold temperatures. Freezing and thawing can cause condensation to form inside.

Medication, both prescription and over-the-counter, can lose their effectiveness when they’ve frozen, so don’t leave them in the car. Liquid medications can freeze, expand, explode… you get the picture

When exposed to freezing temperatures, aerosol cans can crack and even possibly explode. So don’t leave hairspray, spray paint, antiperspirant or other household products in your freezing car.

The water content in canned goods makes them likely to explode in very cold weather. Do you want cream of corn splashed all over your car’s interior? And even if the can doesn’t explode, it can crack, allowing bacteria to get in and spoil the food.

Musical instruments made of wood can be severely damaged if exposed to cold. The wood in your guitar or violin might end up warped, split or cracked, and it'll be expensive or even impossible to repair.

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