Is It Bad to Leave a Water Bottle in Your Car?

Let me start off by saying that it’s only under certain circumstances that you need to be careful about leaving your water bottle in your car. When the weather is cool outside it’s not going to cause any problems to do so, but when the weather is hot you’re going to be better off bringing your water bottle with you when you exit the vehicle.

You don’t want the water bottle baking in the heat of your car, which as we all know can become like an oven on a hot summer day. Hot fresh water is a breeding ground for bacteria, and the water left in a bottle in a hot car for a couple of days can become filled with germs. It could be bad for your health if you ingest the water without thinking.

It’s not only the germ factor that you have to be careful of, but also be mindful that the chemicals in a plastic bottle leach into the water much more quickly at higher temperatures. That is why you always hear that it is never a good idea to put a plastic container in the microwave–you don’t want those poisonous chemicals from the plastic leaching into the food you’re getting ready to eat. Obviously, this is not a concern for stainless steel or aluminum bottles.

If it’s very hot outside and you’re only planning on being away from your car for a few hours or less, it shouldn’t be any problem to leave your water bottle in the vehicle. But if you’re expecting to be away for longer period of time, it’s best to just take the bottle with you into the air conditioning to be safe.

If your water bottle has been stored in your car for several days in the heat, please don’t drink the water.:) Mold, bacteria, and even microscopic algae can begin to build up on the inner surface of the bottle so it’s a good idea to wash it out with soap and water. Most water bottles nowadays are dishwasher safe as well, so take advantage of that if you can.

So in summary, probably 90 percent of the time it’s okay to leave a water bottle in a vehicle, especially if you live in a cold northern climate. But if you live in Miami, it’s not a good idea to guzzle down the contents of your water bottle after it has been baking in the car for a few days.

It seems like common sense, but it’s easy to forget about things that we cannot see, including microscopic bacteria and germs that can be hazardous to our health.

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