With scorching temperatures predicted this weekend, car owners need to remove one particular everyday item if they've been keeping it in their vehicle.
With temperatures soaring in recent days and set to hit 34C in parts of the country on Saturday, motorists need to ensure this one product is not in their cars.
During heatwaves, the interior of a vehicle parked in the sun can quickly turn into a fierce heat. And this can cause severe damage to all manner of objects we might have dotted around the cabin, door pockets and back seats of our motors.
But there is one item in particular that safety experts and fire services warn to never store in you car: aerosol cans.
These are kept in vehicles for a number of reasons - deodorant cans in a gym back stored in the back seat for convenience or a tin of air freshener spray, especially if you transport pets regularly and want to cover up the odour of wet dog - but can become extremely hazardous when exposed to high temperatures.
Here's the reason why they're an increased risk in a heatwave and the 12 other everyday items you should consider removing from your motor to avoid an expensive cleaning bill.
With scorching temperatures predicted this weekend, car owners need to remove any aerosol cans they have storied in their vehicle's cabin to avoid a major risk
Aerosol cans dispense fine mists or sprays using a product mixed with a propellant, which is typically a liquefied gas under pressure.
When the nozzle is pressed, this pressure allows the product to be expelled.
The can itself is typically made from one of two metals - aluminum or steel - in order to withstand this internal pressure.
But it is this pressure that makes aerosols particularly dangerous when exposed to extreme heat.
Most aerosol cans are pressurised to between two and eight times the atmospheric pressure (29-116 psi).
However, this can increase dramatically in rising temperatures when a sudden surge in heat expands the gas inside.
When a car is left in the sun, outside climates like those recorded this weekend can easily see the temperature inside a car can easily exceed 50C - typically the safety threshold for aerosol cans.
This level of heat increases the pressure inside the can beyond the safe limit, which could potentially trigger a rupture or explosion.
RoSPA, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, recommends drivers should never keep aerosols inside their cars.
This is even the case in winter temperatures, which can also rise quickly and cause a sudden increase in pressure.
'You should keep them in the boot,' RoSPA says.
Fire services across the UK repeat this recommendation when giving out guidance during heatwaves.
If you keep a gym bag in your car for convenience and it contains a deodorant can, you should remove it during a heatwave. In fact, experts recommend you never store aerosols in the cabin of your car at all
On top of deodorants and air fresheners, some car owners might also keep hairspray, cleaning products, glass cleaner and other automotive-related products - like tyre inflators cannisters, lubricants like WD40 and de-icers - in the cabin rather than the boot
If an aerosol can ruptures or explodes, there is also a secondary risk of physical damage posed by the contents.
Chemicals inside can be volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and once released can be harmful if inhaled or come into contact with skin in a confined space, such as a car with all the doors and windows closed.
VOCs are known to cause respiratory issues, skin irritation, and other health problems.
Drivers have been urged by fire services to be mindful of the different aerosol cans that could be stored in their car that they might not realise could be harmful.
On top of deodorants and air fresheners, some car owners might also keep hairspray, cleaning products, glass cleaner and other automotive-related products - like tyre inflators cannisters, lubricants like WD40, and de-icers leftover from winter - in the cabin rather than the boot.
Car insurance comparison site uSwitch says there are various items you could be keeping in your car that should be removed during a heatwave, mostly to avoid an expensive cleaning bill.
However, there are some that can be hazardous. With the help of the comparison site, we've listed 12 items you might want to declutter from your car interior this weekend:
Air freshener diffusers: Most car diffusers are made of plastic. Prolonged heat can cause the plastic to warp, potentially damaging the diffuser and causing the oils to leak onto the interior of your car, resulting in stains. In extreme cases, some essential oils, particularly those with high flammability (like citrus oils), could pose a fire risk if they become too concentrated due to heat evaporation.
Fizzy canned drinks: Because of the increased pressure brought on by the warmer temperatures, carbonated cans left in a hot car can often burst. This could result in an expensive mess, as leakage could stain the upholstery.
Bottled drinks: It might seem logical to have a bottle of water in the car ready for a heatwave, however, there reamin health concerns over the use of Bisphenol A and phthalates (BPA) in plastic materials, which act as binding agents to make bottles more flexible. Leaving bottled water in a hot car may cause these agents to be released into the water you drink.
Cleaning gels: Most cleaning gels have a melting point. Leaving the gel in a hot car can cause the ambient temperature to exceed this melting point, turning the gel runny and sticky and making it likely to stain the interior of your car.
Hand sanitiser: These often contain alcohol which is flammable and could become a fire hazard.
Sun cream: Ironically, leaving sun cream in your car can be a bad idea when temperatures soar. The active ingredients can break down and cause the bottle to crack or perish, leaking a mess onto the upholstery that's notoriously difficult to remove.
Chewing gum: If exposed to warm temperatures, chewing gum can lose its elasticity and viscosity, causing it to go soft or melt. The end result is a very sticky mess.
Pens: An overheating pen can burst and leave ink in the vehicle. Clean-up can be expensive and stains challenging to remove.
Sweets and chocolate: Car snacks are common on summer road trips, however, they are prone to melting if left in warm temperatures over a long period. Again, this can result in stains to a vehicle’s interior.
Disposable lighters: For those who smoke, a disposable lighter exposed to hot temperatures can be risky. The fluid and gases inside the lighter can expand in extreme temperatures, causing internal pressure to rise. This can result in potential fires that can damage the car or even harm those inside it.
Mobile phone and tablets: During warm spells the temperature in your car can rise to almost twice what it is outside. Your phone has a safe internal temperature it needs to maintain, but if it's left in a hot environment for an extended period of time, it could end up shorting out, catching fire, or even exploding.
Vapes: If a vape is left in a car in hot weather, you also run the risk of returning to a pretty big mess. The increased temperature will cause the liquid to thin, which can leak from the tank. There's also the additional risk of the battery overheating, shorting and catching fire.
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