Can Alcohol Be Stored Inside a Car?
2 Answers
From a safety perspective, 75% alcohol should not be kept in a car. Here are the potential hazards of storing alcohol in a vehicle: 1. Low Flash Point: Alcohol has a flash point of only 20 degrees Celsius, and if the interior temperature of the car becomes too high, it may cause combustion. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid storing alcohol in the car. 2. Damage to Interior: If alcohol is used inside the car, and the seats or steering wheel are made of genuine leather, spraying alcohol directly on these surfaces can cause damage. Since alcohol is an organic solvent, it may have an even greater impact on vehicles with lower-quality leather interiors.
As a seasoned driver with years of experience, I must emphasize the importance of being extremely cautious when storing alcohol in your car. During summer, the temperature inside a vehicle can soar to over 60 degrees Celsius, causing alcohol bottles to expand and potentially burst due to the heat. Leaked alcohol vapors can rapidly accumulate in the confined space, and even a tiny spark from static electricity or lighting a cigarette could trigger a massive fire. I recall a neighbor, Old Wang, who kept a bottle of 70% disinfectant alcohol in his car. After being exposed to the sun in a parking lot, it caught fire and burned the entire vehicle, even ruining the engine in the end. Beyond the significant safety risks, high temperatures also accelerate alcohol evaporation, reducing its effectiveness. My advice is to only carry small, sealed bottles when absolutely necessary, storing them in a dark spot in the trunk and removing them immediately after use. Alternatively, switching to disposable alcohol wipes is a safer option. Never take the easy route by casually tossing a bottle under the front seat—when disaster strikes, regret won’t help.
