Don’t Leave These Items in Your Car During Cold Maine Winters

We're Mainers, so we know how to deal with cold mornings. We bundle up, grab our keys, and let the car warm up for a minute before heading off to work. However, if you're forgetful like me, you may glance in your backseat and see something that you forgot to take in overnight.

It's happened to me twice this season, so I thought it might be a good idea to share this list of things that you don't want to leave in your cold car for long periods or overnight. You may not be too pleased to find out what's happened to it while the temperature drops.

Here's a list of seven things that Family Handyman warns you not to leave in your car when the temperature drops.

Beverages

Been there, done that. Liquids freeze, and when they are packed into an airtight seal to keep your delicious beverage fizzing, they have nowhere to go when it begins to expand. Boom! It's like an ICEE just threw up all over your upholstery.

Aerosol Cans

The same goes for aerosol cans. Bring that hairspray can inside where it belongs, or it could explode in your car if it gets too cold.

Smartphones

I've done this one too. I keep my smartphone docked on the dash, and quite often forget it's there when I bring in groceries. Luckily, it didn't take long for me to find it after I realized I lost it. If you do leave your smartphone in your car when it's cold, it could damage the electronics or even freeze the liquid crystal in the display. Better hope you bought that repair plan with your phone.

Eggs

I've left deli meat in my car before during the summer. That's one I'll never forget. It never occurred to me that eggs could be an issue in the car in the winter, however. Eggs can crack in the cold, and if they do, you don't want to eat a frozen egg. Toss them out.

Canned Goods

You may be noticing a theme here. Cans + cold = BOOM! If it's in a can that's in your car when it's cold, you're in for a big mess.

Medication

The cold can affect certain drugs, so be sure to take them inside with you.

Laptops

The electronics in your laptop do not like the cold. Extended exposure to cold temperatures could cause damage to the processor and the LCD screen. The "L" stands for liquid, so you can figure out what happens next.