Absolutely do not leave these items in your car during triple-digit heat in NJ

How hot is it?

It’s so hot I’m sweating like R. Kelly at a P.T.A. meeting.

It’s so hot I’d accept a drink from Bill Cosby right now.

It’s also extremely hot in New Jersey this week, with triple-digit temps possible. I don’t even want to know how that translates with a "feels like" temperature.

Let’s say it’s "make peace with your god" hot. There are certain things you shouldn’t leave in your car in this week’s brand of intense heat. Some you may realize with common sense, and some you may not know. Here’s part of a list put together by ciginsurance.com.

MORE: School after Summer Solstice? NJ kids and teachers deserve better

NINE THINGS TO NEVER LEAVE IN YOUR CAR IN INTENSE HEAT

Pens

A pen seems like a great thing to keep in your car. I've found myself kicking

myself for not having one in the console when I needed one. But experts say once the weather turns deadly hot that pen can explode and the mess it will leave behind doesn't make it worth it.

Sunscreen

It’s not that it will leak out from heat. It’s that you’ll use it thinking it’s just fine. But on a micro level the intense heat may have altered the sunscreen’s chemical composition and thereby reduced its effectiveness level. You don’t want find out the hard way it didn’t prevent a severe sunburn.

Wine

Here’s one I never knew. Experts say wine kept in temperatures above 78 can ruin the wine’s taste, sure, but did you know that in high heat the cork can actually explode out of the bottle leaving a terrible mess?

Sunglasses

Sunglasses kept in a car on a hot day seems like a no-brainer. Cars are sometimes made with a dedicated compartment for them. But triple digit heat can mean the plastic frames of sunglasses will warp and no longer fit properly. Don’t leave them in the car.

Medicine

If intense heat can alter the chemical composition of sunscreen it should come as no surprise the same could happen with medicine. Leaving it in an extremely hot car can mess with its efficacy.

Electronics

Ever get that notice pop up on your cell phone’s screen that your device is overheating? It can damage the battery. Heat can even make them burst. It isn’t just cell phones. It’s tablets, laptops, etc.. Don’t leave electronics in your car when it’s extremely hot.

Crayons

There are two main ingredients in crayons. One is pigment. The other is paragon wax. Should we be shocked what happens to boxes of crayons left in stifling heat. Yes, they melt.

Any aerosol can

What do you do when a state known for its hairspray use hits 100 degrees? You don’t leave hairspray, or any other aerosol can, in a hot car, that’s what. Scientists say aerosol cans should not be exposed to temperatures greater than 120 degrees because the pressurized container can quickly explode. Keep in mind the interior of a car left parked in 100 degree weather will rapidly exceed 120 degrees.

CDs/DVDs

Do you still listen to music off a CD on occasion? Do you have some emergency children’s movies on DVD you leave in the car for a road trip or a bad mood?

Don’t do it in summer.

Experts say intense heat can easily warp these and render them useless.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

Report a correction 👈