Things You Don’t Want to Leave in Your Car in the Missouri Heat
Some lessons have to be learned the hard way. Growing up in Missouri, you learn that the summer heat can be merciless for anything and everything. There are some things you really want to avoid leaving in your vehicle though more than others.
I'll start with something I experienced first hand. I left one of these in my car way back when and was not happy to see what happened when I returned.
Water bottles
I left a water bottle in my car with the top on and it exploded. I didn't think it would be a big deal to leave in my vehicle while I had a good time at Six Flags. Boy, was I wrong.
Pets
You would think this would be obvious, but this is something you'll still see sometimes. Leaving a pet in a hot car is like a death sentence for an animal.
Gas can
It's a necessary part of summer to put your gas can in your vehicle to go fill it up so you can mow your grass. Just don't forget about it or you'll regret it. Even if it looks like it's empty, the fumes inside are combustible and can ruin your day in a hurry.
Spray Paint and/or Sealed Paint Cans
Soda/Pop Cans
Have you ever had a Pepsi can explode and cover your car interior with its sticky substance? I have. Fortunately for me, it wasn't dangerous, but cleaning up the mess wasn't fun. At all.
Hair Spray
Want a shattered windshield? Leave a can of hair spray in your hot car. Nothing quite like a can of compressed air that suddenly becomes a projectile.
Dry Shampoo
I've never heard of dry shampoo before, but it's definitely a thing among many and it's yet another thing you do not want to leave in your car during the summer months.
Kids
This should be so obvious it doesn't need stating, yet you still see stories of kids that are left in the car while parents run errands and it can end tragically. The young ones are even more susceptible to the intense heat of a car during the summer months.
Sunglasses
This is one of the most common items I see in vehicles for obvious reasons. Who doesn't want their sunglasses when driving on a sunny day? Just don't leave them there. If they have plastic frames, they'll warp after a short time. If they have metal frames, they can even get hot enough to start a fire.
Credit or Gift Cards
Beer
Not only can beer in an unopened can be dangerous, Beer Cartel mentions that the heat of a hot car can make beer age much quicker ruining the taste.
Smart Phone
It's so easy to forget that smart phone in its cradle in a car when you run in a store. It doesn't take long before the heat of a hot car can make for a very expensive replacement of that phone that so many people seem to live on.
Sunscreen
When you go do summer things, you probably take sunscreen with you. The problem is if it's left in a hot car, the composition can change where it doesn't even provide you with the UV protection it was intended to.
Medication
Most medicine manufacturers recommend that they be kept at normal room temperature meaning between 68 and 77 degrees. It takes just minutes before a car will get hot enough to make many medications ineffective at best and dangerous at worst.
Butane Lighters
Generally speaking anything flammable left in a hot car is asking for trouble. A butane lighter can start a fire that can cause you much bigger trouble than not being able to light the candles on your birthday cake.
Plants
I'm not good at gardening even in perfect conditions. Leave a plant in a hot car and you'll get the same result albeit faster.
Pet Food
I am guilty of sometimes buying the pet food at a farm supply store before I go to the grocery store. That's fine as long as you don't leave it in your vehicle for long. Did you know that pet food that gets too hot can cause your animal food poisoning?
