Freezing temperatures? Be sure never to leave these items in the car
There are areas where the heart of winter offers breathtaking views with snow-covered landscapes as far as the eye can see, and often this scene is accompanied by truly polar temperatures that drop quite a few degrees below zero. When conditions are such that - literally - water freezes in no time, other materials also undergo chemical and physical changes.
In such conditions there is a risk that even inside the passenger compartment of a car - which can also reach very low temperatures - many different objects can be damaged. Find out what you should never forget in the car when it's really cold.
Glasses (reading, sun)
Whether they are sunglasses or prescription glasses, lenses of all types risk deteriorating in low temperatures, losing their original shape or even - in the most serious cases - cracking. And even the substances with which the various protective flims or filters are made from can be affected by the cold, changing and damaging them permanently.
Electronic devices
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Smartphones, tablets and computers cannot withstand intense heat or cold. In fact, if they are powered by lithium batteries they really cannot withstand low temperatures very well at all. Therefore, if they happen to freeze and then thaw, condensation can form inside the device which reduces the life of the object itself.
Bottles of water
Bottles or flasks of water, even if not completely full, can crack, break or deform when it freezes. Water expands and increases in volume when it freezes and causes these containers to burst.
Beer, wine and fizzy drinks
The same happens with carbonated and alcoholic drinks such as beer and wine, whether or not they are contained in glass bottles or in cans. Just like when we forget them in the freezer, they explode!
Spray cans
It is best not forget any spray can products in the car. These cans (aerosols) are not indestructible as you would think, and at temperatures below zero, they can crack, break or even explode, risking blowing out the car's windows ... and not to mention the hassle of cleaning everything up.
Paint
If you have bought water-based or latex-based paint, an intense cold can cause them to freeze and expand or even just separate into their baser elements creating lumps and basically rendering the product unusable.
Food in cans
Food in oil runs a lesser risk than those in vinegar and other liquids. However, products in cans, which almost always contain a quantity of water inside them, are definitely at greater risk. Even for these, therefore, there is the risk that when they freeze, they end up cracking (then leaking), or even exploding. And any acidic liquid contaminates the interior of the car and can cause permanent staining and/or reducing the normal life of various exposed surfaces.
Medicines
There are many medicines that lose their properties when they freeze. The most delicate in this sense are insulin and liquid products, such as syrups or cough drops.
Musical instruments
Freezing cold is no friend to musical instruments made of wood: from guitars to violins, passing through every instrument that has a wooden acoustic sound case - this type of object risks cracking, deforming or breaking, and even the strings can tense up and can snap. When one of these musical instruments freezes, the damage is often irreparable.
In short, it is always better to empty the car out when it is cold ... except for what's still in the tank!
