Warning to Minnesota: Why You Should Never Drink Water Left in a Hot Car

During Minnesota's summer heat, it's important to stay hydrated, especially if you're outdoors. It's really smart to bring water along when you go anywhere in the summertime, just in case.

But I'm sure there are plenty of times that you've forgotten a water bottle in your hot car. I've done it, it happens. Pretty soon the water has gotten disgustingly warm from being in the hot car and it's not terribly refreshing anymore.

But it's probably still fine to drink, right? Think again.

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Why Leaving Your Water Bottle in a Hot Car is Bad

There are three big reasons why leaving a water bottle in a hot car is bad.

One is because the hot water is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria.

Water Bottles Left in Hot Cars Can Grow Bacteria Quickly

If the water bottle is unopened then you're actually ok here. But if the water bottle has been opened, you should toss it out.

Spring Well, a water filtration company, writes, "Hot vehicles provide the ideal environment for bacteria to grow and multiply rapidly, so it’s best to toss any opened bottles left in your vehicle."

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Leaving a water bottle in a hot car can also lead to a fire.

Water Bottles in Hot Cars Can Cause a Fire

This has nothing to do with whether the water is safe to drink but it's a good reason to not mess with leaving a water bottle in a hot car in the first place.

You know when you were a kid you'd take a magnifying glass outside on a hot, sunny day and try to light leaves on fire? That same thing can happen with a water bottle and your car.

If it's a hot and sunny day and you leave a clear water bottle in your car, that water bottle can act just like a magnifying glass. As the Daily Mail writes, "The water bottle can heat up nearby objects and can potentially cause a fire."

And the final reason it's a bad idea to leave water in a hot car is because chemicals in the plastic water bottle can seep into your water when it gets hot.

Chemicals in Plastics Can Leak into Your Water When Left in a Hot Car

The thing to look out for here is BPA. If you have a basic plastic bottle of water you bought at a gas station, it has BPA in it. And when the plastic heats up, "chemical bonds in the plastic begin to loosen up and break down, causing various chemicals to seep into the water inside the bottle," according to Spring Well.

Different studies say that BPA can be toxic and even possibly cause cancer if it's in high enough doses. So if you leave a plastic water bottle in your hot car, it's best not to drink it to avoid ingesting those chemicals.

However, if you have a reusable water bottle that's BPA-free, a glass water bottle, or a stainless steel water bottle, then you're fine.