Musical Instruments
Guitars and othermusical instrumentsthat are constructed of wood can suffer serious damage in the cold. The wood can warp, split, or crack, and the strings may tighten or snap. Once an instrument has been damaged by freezing weather, it can be costly—and sometimes impossible—to repair.
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Bottled Water
A standard 16.9-ounce bottle of water can freeze in as few as 30 to 45 minutes when the temperature drops to 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and it canfreeze even fasterat lower temperatures. The water expands as it turns to ice and can crack the plastic bottle, leaving you with a wet mess to clean up when it melts.
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Canned and Bottled Soda
Soda is mostly water, so it poses the same risk as a frozen bottle of water. That said, acan or bottle of sodacan withstand cold temperatures for a bit longer than water because the sugar content lowers the freezing point. But if the container cracks or bursts, it will cause an even bigger—and stickier—mess.
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Cellphones and Computers
It’s bad enough that someone might break into your car to steal your electronic devices, butthe cold can be almost as devastating. That's because many of today’s gadgets contain lithium-ion batteries, which aren't designed to endure the cold. Repeated freezing and thawing can cause condensation inside the unit, shortening its lifespan and potentially voiding your warranty.
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Drugs and Medication
Many prescription drugs andover-the-counter medicationslose their effectiveness when frozen. Take care not to leave medications in a cold car, especially insulin or other drugs that are in a liquid suspension, including eye drops and cough syrup.
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Household Cleansers
Manycleaning supplies—including glass cleaners, dish soaps, and multisurface cleaners—are high in water content, which means that frozen conditions can cause these liquids to swell and crack the bottle in the process. Other types of household cleansers—including laundry detergent and floor cleaners—contain surfactants and polymers that may separate or clump when exposed to the cold, reducing or eliminating their effectiveness.
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Paint
Water-based and latex paints should never be left in freezing temperatures because the ingredients in the paint can freeze, expand, separate, and clump, rendering the paint virtually unusable foryour next redecorating project.
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Canned Goods
Nearly all canned vegetables and fruits are packed in water, which makes it just as risky to tote around canned corn as bottled water. Even if the can remains intact, the seals could break,allowing bacteria to get into the can and spoil the food. When in doubt, toss it out!
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Beer and Wine
You may have heard that that thealcohol contentin beer and wine will prevent it from freezing. That's not exactly true. Although it takes longer, alcohol will eventually freeze—wine at 23 degrees, and beer at around 21 degrees Fahrenheit. Once that happens, those bottles will be just as prone to cracking and breaking as any other.
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Eggs
Eggshells are designed by Mother Nature to keep harmful bacteria from damaging the precious cargo inside. But when eggs freeze, theshells will often crack, allowing germs to enter the eggs and cause them to spoil. Even if the shells do not appear to be cracked, eggs that have been frozen won't look or taste like you're used to—the yolks become thick and don’t mix well with other ingredients.
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