As winter approaches and temperatures start to drop, it’s important to prepare your car for freezing conditions. Leaving certain items in your car during an extreme cold snap can cause damage or safety issues. Here are 20 things you should never leave in your vehicle before a deep freeze:
- Canned or Bottled Beverages: Liquids expand when frozen, which can cause closed containers to explode. Remove any canned sodas, bottled water, juices, etc.
- Electronics: Freezing temperatures can ruin electronics like phones, laptops, and tablets. Bring them inside or make sure they’re completely powered off.
- Musical Instruments: The cold and moisture can warp wood and other delicate materials in instruments. Store them somewhere climate-controlled.
- Medications: Cold temperatures can affect the potency and composition of medications. Don’t leave any prescription or over-the-counter meds.
- Makeup and Toiletries: Beauty products tend to freeze and explode just like liquids. Lipsticks, lotions, and more should come inside.
- Plastic Containers: Plastic can become brittle when frozen. Yogurt cups, Tupperware, etc. could crack and make a mess.
- Fresh Produce: Frost can damage fruits, vegetables and cause rapid spoilage. Remember to bring in any leftover grocery bags.
- Paints, Solvents, Cleaners: Chemicals in household products can crystallize or leak when frozen. Store appropriately.
- Musical Instruments: Guitars, violins, and other delicate instruments can crack or warp. Best to keep them somewhere climate-controlled.
- Wine: Extreme cold will essentially “freeze” the wine, altering its chemistry and ruining it. Don’t let it freeze!
- Candles: The cold can cause wax candles to shrink, crack, or become misshapen from the freezing. Keep them somewhere at room temperature.
- Cooked Foods: Refrigerated leftovers and such are still perishable. Freezing and then thawing equals prime conditions for bacteria!
- Plants: Your green friends can’t survive arctic temperatures any better than you can. Bring them in or cover them.
- Canned Gasoline: The cold can cause condensation inside gas cans, contaminating the fuel. Store properly.
- Fire Extinguishers: The pressure inside fire extinguishers is compromised by extreme cold. Please don’t leave them out.
- Car Batteries: Freezing weather reduces battery power significantly or renders them dead.
- Energy Drinks: Much like canned sodas, the liquid inside energy drink cans could potentially explode when frozen and then thaw.
- Hand Sanitizers: Sanitizers mostly contain alcohol, which expands when frozen. Could burst!
- Nicotine Products: Chewing tobacco, cigarettes, etc. that contain nicotine will freeze, thaw, and get stale or contaminated.
- Grease and Oils: Container lids could pop off grease, cooking oil, etc. due to expansion during freezing. Store inside.
Preparing your vehicle before wintertime is just part of seasonal maintenance in colder climates. Following this list ensures you don’t return to unpleasant surprises like sticky messes or destroyed property inside your car after an extreme cold snap. Some preparation and planning ahead of time means you can avoid most frozen mishaps!
