HOT STUFF
Drivers warned of everyday items you should NEVER leave in a hot car
DRIVERS have been warned to prepare for sizzling car journeys by removing dangerous every day items as tempatures soar this summer.
While many of us are familiar with how unpleasant hot cars can be, fewer realise the heat build-up in a car’s interior can cause damage to a number of everyday objects.
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When the sun’s energy enters the car it begins to heat solid objects, creating what is called a greenhouse effect.
When objects are left in stifling heat it can cause damage to them - and potentially your car.
To help, here are five objects drivers should never leave in a hot car.
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Your bottled water poses as a fire risk
Warming a plastic bottle causes chemicals such as Bisphenol A and phthalates to be released in the water, even in temperatures like those inside a hot car in summer.
However, it has also been found that water bottles can actually pose a fire risk.
Plastic and water filters like a magnifying glass, concentrating the sun's rays into an energy beam that can burn your car's fabric seats.
This was discovered by , a 69 News Meteorologist in the US, when he left a clear water bottle in his car and came back to see the sun had been hitting the bottle at the right angle to burn a hole in the front seat.
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Sun cream can become less effective if left in a hot car
Sun cream bottles have been known to explode in warm environments.
Not only can the plastic warp its shape if left in direct sunlight, warming the cream can actually alter its shelf life, meaning you could be going without valuable UV protection and risk damaging your skin.
Soft drink cans can burst and spill
Even when not left in direct sunlight, heat applied to compressed cans of soft drink can cause them to explode.
Although it's little more than a nasty mess most of the time, it could be enough of a distraction to cause an accident if it burst while you're behind the wheel.
Deodorant cans will explode if left in a hot car
It's best practice to take any aerosol cans out of your car when the weather warms.
A study found that temperatures of 22°C outside can generate temperatures of up to 47°C inside a car in as little as an hour.
An environment that hot can cause the pressure inside the canister to increase and potentially burst.
Heat can cause irreparable damage to your gadgets
Gadgets like iPads, mobile phones or other tablets are not only a target for thieves if left in a car, but they're also vulnerable to heat.
Read More on The Sun
Leaving battery-powered devices in a hot car can permanently damage the gadget's internal components, causing the miniature circuit board to flex and warp the battery.
It can also damage screens, causing them to pixelate, crack and become unresponsive.
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