6 Things You Should Never Leave In a Freezing Cold Car
If you are living in the Northern
Hemisphere, then you are currently living through the dead of winter.
For some people, this means heavy snowfalls and scraping ice from your
windshield every morning. While living in an area with a freezing white
winter has many positives, like beautiful scenery and a feeling of
coziness indoors, it also requires you to face a few extra challenges in
the colder season. One of them is paying attention to what’s inside
your car.
When left in a freezing cold car for hours,
some items can get damaged or even ruined, and sometimes even become
downright dangerous to use. In the list below, we rounded up 6 things
you should never leave in your car during the cold winter months.
1. Musical instruments
Items 
If you take guitar or violin lessons, for
example, make sure to take your instrument inside with you after each
lesson rather than leaving it in the freezing car. Extreme cold can be
very damaging for them, causing a range of issues. Without getting too
deep into the scientific details of it, the longer your musical
instrument stays in the cold, the more it shrinks.
If you play a woodwind instrument, then you may notice more squeaks
after leaving it in the cold. If your woodwind instrument uses reeds,
they will be harder to work with and sound “dry." In case the instrument
is made of genuine wood, the cold air can lead to cracking, which is
very expensive to repair. Brass instruments are not safe either. Guitars
and other string instruments will drift out of tune more frequently, as
the tuning slide can get stuck. To avoid costly repairs, or even
needing a brand new instrument, simply avoid leaving them in the cold
for too long.
2. Canned soda or beer
f you decide to pick up a carbonated drink
on your grocery store trip, be careful not to leave it in your car for
too long, especially not overnight. As they freeze, pockets of carbon
dioxide can build up pressure and cause the can to explode. “Frozen soda
can explosions are not due directly to water expanding as it freezes,
but to the resulting pressure put on an isolated pocket of CO2,”
according to LiveScience.
Not only can this result in a big mess, but it can be dangerous, too. If
the can explodes near you, or worse, in your hands, it could result in
injuries.
3. Canned food
Like liquids, the food inside cans can also expand when frozen. This may
cause the can to swell to the point that some of the seams come apart,
allowing the potential for bacteria to get in.
If you did happen to forget a few groceries in the car overnight, it
might be possible to salvage the food. If the cans are merely swollen -
and you are sure the swelling was caused by freezing - the US Department
of Agriculture recommends placing the can in your fridge to thaw before
opening. However, if you notice it looks strange or smells funny once
you open them, throw the food out immediately. You should also toss any
swollen cans that have been sitting around for a while ― don’t take any
chances.
4. Medication
If a visit to the pharmacy is on your list of errands for the day, make
sure to bring your medication inside with you, especially if they are
vital ones you must take every day. The wrong storage temperature may
alter medication and render them ineffective and even harmful.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers recommend most of their products be stored
at a controlled room temperature of 68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit (20-25
degrees Celsius), Skye McKennon, clinical assistant professor at the
University of Washington School of Pharmacy told the New York Times.
For patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes or heart disease, a
damaged dose of a crucial medicine can be life-threatening and
compromised antibiotics can cause stomach or kidney damage. It’s
important to prevent liquid medications, in particular, from freezing.
5. Eggs
Letting shelled eggs freeze is not a good idea, according to the USDA.
When the liquid inside the egg becomes frozen, it expands and can crack
the shell. Once the shell is cracked, it isn’t safe to eat anymore.
Even if the eggs don’t crack after freezing, they probably won’t be so
tasty. Hard boiling them is your best shot; any other cooking method
will result in a thick and mushy yolk that won’t blend with the rest of
the egg properly.
6. Cell phones or tablets
It’s pretty well known that exposing a smartphone to extreme heat can
cause permanent damage like shortening the battery life and more.
However, many people don’t realize that exposing your device to very low
temperatures can be just as harmful to its performance. The recommended
temperature range for using your outside is 32 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit
(0º to 35º C). Anything below or over these temperatures could shorten
the battery life and even cause your device to shut off.
We all forget our phone in the car sometimes, and if it happens to you,
don’t fret - it will usually return to normal after being in an ambient
temperature for a little while. Just try to make it a rare occurrence.