It’s not unusual to feel like you’re living in your automobile. You get around town by car every day. Pick up and drop off the kids at various locations. Go grocery shopping. Run errands… The list continues.
Due to the hectic nature of the day, your car may end up serving as a depository for various items. However, it’s not a good idea to get in the habit of utilizing your automobile as a makeshift storage unit. In addition to making you a target for auto thieves, exposure to extreme heat or cold can damage your belongings.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of seven items that you should never leave in your car to help keep your vehicle and its contents safe.
1. Food & Drink
The cork on a bottle of wine is only the beginning. Soda cans, for instance, pose a problem whether the car is hot or cold. Dunn adds that you should not forget about anything that might easily melt in the heat and create a mess, such as candy bars or ice cream. However, this threat does not only apply to the upholstery in your automobile.
The FDA reports that at room temperature, bacteria that cause food poisoning can replicate every 20 minutes. So don’t keep groceries or leftovers in a heated car for more than 2 hours, or only an hour when it’s over 90 degrees.
