Why You Should Never Use Aerosol Air Fresheners in Your Car

Car explodes because of, uh, air freshener
https://t.co/GiJlx17TFn

— Jalopnik (@Jalopnik) September 10, 2017

Earlier this month in England, a woman was driving her first-generation Ford Focus when she went to light a cigarette, and it exploded.

Though the compact car was over a decade old, the terrifying blast that blew her windshield off had nothing to do with malfunctions in the vehicle. It was the "Smoke Away" air freshener she had just picked up from the store, and was bringing home in the back seat.

Ironically, while the product advertises itself as a way to eliminate odors from cigarette smoke, it is dangerously flammable when used near a lit cigarette.

We would not recommend spraying aerosol of any kind in your car and smoking immediately after, though the explosion may not have been intense enough to blow out the windows with an air freshener under normal use. Firefighters believe the aerosol cans were leaking, filling the cabin with excess gas.

So, is it ok to spray a smoke-neutralizing product in your car if you're a smoker? Maybe, but remember this headline and use caution--make sure there is good ventilation, and you never have a lit cigarette while spraying.