Your Car Could Destroy These Everyday Items This Summer

Your car is not a storage unit, especially during the summer. As temperatures rise across Washington state and heat waves get stronger, what you leave in your parked car matters more than you might realize.

What Extreme Heat Does to a Parked Car in 30 Minutes

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AAA says that if it's 100 degrees outside, your car's interior can reach almost 140 degrees in just 30 minutes. This kind of heat does more than make your ride home uncomfortable. It can damage your belongings, reduce the effectiveness of important products, and sometimes even pose real safety risks.

Everyone knows the most important rule: never leave children or pets in a parked car. Even a few minutes can be deadly. But aside from that, there are everyday items experts say you should always take with you.

The Items That Stop Working When Left in a Hot Car

Medications are especially important. Heat can break down common pain relievers and make life-saving drugs like EpiPens and insulin less effective. If you keep your medication in your glove compartment, it might not work when you need it most.

Sunscreen is another item people often forget about. Extreme heat can break down the SPF formula, so the bottle you grab on your way to the lake might not protect your skin as well as the label says.

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Electronics like phones, laptops, tablets, vapes, and any device with a lithium-ion battery are sensitive to heat. Leaving them in a hot car for too long can permanently damage the batteries, shorten the device's life, and in rare cases, even cause a fire.

The Items in Your Car That Could Actually Explode

Aerosol cans, like hairspray or spray deodorant, are some of the most dangerous things to leave in your car. As temperatures rise, pressure builds inside the can, and eventually it can burst. This is not just a theory; it has happened in cars across the country.

Canned soda is another item to watch out for. In extreme heat, the carbonation pressure builds up, and if the seal is weak, it can explode, leaving a sticky mess in your back seat.

The main point is simple: if you brought something into your car, take it out when you leave. Your car will thank you, and so will your EpiPen.