When you were a kid, ever jump from couch to coffee table to recliner hoping to avoid the lava you imagined flowed through your family room?
Last week, this scenario suddenly popped back into my head just as I sat down in my car – a car that spent the day baking under the scorching sun. But in this case, it was ALL lava. Seat. Steering wheel. Belt buckle. Stick shift. Everything! However, there was no couch or La-Z-Boy on which to seek refuge. It was HOT and I had no choice but to suck it up and take it.
But by thinking ahead, there are plenty of ways you can protect your car and yourself from the sweltering heat.
1) Accessorize the leather – Anyone who has ever plopped down on leather seats that have been roasting under the sun can tell you that “hot pants” don’t have quite the same appeal during the dog days of summer. So unless you’re hoping to get a bit more color on your keester, try covering the leather with a towel or cloth seat cover. Stylish? Not really. But you’ll be saved from a burnt bum.
2) Protect your valuables – In direct sunlight on a hot day, your car’s internal temperature can top 180 degrees. So you must be careful what’s left behind in you car. I’m not just talking about kids and pets – those are a given. I’m referring to products that can be damaged by the intense heat:
a. Prescriptions – The chemical makeup can change.
b. Lighters and alkaline batteries – May leak and/or explode.
c. Cosmetics – They may melt
d. Canned carbonated beverages – Kaboom!
e. Bottle water – Chemicals from plastic can leach into the drink.
f. Aerosol cans – Cabin temperatures above 120 degrees can create, you guessed it, an explosion.
So if you don’t want to spend the evening using soda can shrapnel to scrape Cheese Wiz off your vehicle’s interior, better not leave any of these items in your car.
3) Park in the Shade – This is, of course, the most obvious of solutions. But speaking as someone who will circle the lot multiple times in order to secure the “best spot,” parking in the shade isn’t the option some of us always choose (much to the chagrin of my long-suffering spouse). But on a hot day, the shaded space is, indeed, the “best spot.” The shade not only protects your car’s interior, but it also extends the life of your air conditioner – which won’t be forced to work so hard. Plus it protects your car battery from being prematurely drained (yep, that happened to me too).
4) Use a Windshield Shade – If a spot shielded from the sun’s rays can’t be found, the next best option is to simply put up a windshield shade. As long as your car is pointing toward the sun, the shield should provide appreciable relief from the heat – especially if you leave the windows open an inch or so. However, if you should experience a headache or sudden blood loss, exit the vehicle and request an immediate tow to the Breeden service department. And next time, be sure to remove the sun shade before driving off.
There are plenty more ways to beat the heat. How do you do it? Please share your comments. We’d love to know.
