What Not to Leave in Your Car on a Hot Summer Day in Illinois

It's been hot.  Like, step-into-your-car-and-instantly-regret-sitting-down hot.  And while most of us are good about not leaving kids or pets in our hot cars, there are a bunch of everyday items we do forget to remove.

I'm guilty of leaving everything in my car.  Water bottles, makeup, hairspray, sunglasses, you name it and it's probably on the floor in my backseat right now.  The only thing I do remember to take inside are all my valuables like debit card, ID, and backpack.

Related: Illinoisans, Don’t Leave This Potential Fire Hazard in Your Car

Since the weather in Illinois has been reaching insane temperatures lately, I started noticing some stuff in my car "transforming" from it being so hot in my car.

Things I didn't expect to melt, explode, or be considered "hazardous".

What Not to Leave in Your Car on a Hot Summer Day in Illinois

Yes, batteries, medications, and electronics are all things you KNOW not to keep in your hot car.  But have you ever thought about hand sanitizer?  I leave a few bottles in my car for whenever I need them, but not after what happened the other day.

When the temps hit over 85 degrees, my hand sanitizer bottle started expanding and busted open all over my cupholders.  I didn't know that could happen!

Read More: Things Never To Leave In Hot Car In Illinois 

Hand sanitizer is flammable, due to the high alcohol content.  It basically turns into a fire hazard, so leaving it in your car during extreme hot temperatures is risky.

"According to the FDA, hand sanitizer should not be stored at temperatures exceeding 105° Fahrenheit. This means that your vehicle is probably not an ideal storage solution during the warm summer months." [vitacost]

Even if it doesn't combust, it could lose effectiveness in extreme heat.  Better to keep it on you and not in your car during these warm months!