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Items You Shouldn't Store in Your Garage

November 09, 2021

Let’s start with this rule of thumb. The garage is not like any other part of your house. Your living room or kitchen, master’s bedroom and guest rooms, toilets, and pantries have doors that are secured, windows that can be sealed, a temperature that’s controlled, and have enclosures with weather stripping. Garages are different. A garage can invite pests to reside over; it’s damp; and it absolutely has no temperature control—cold especially during the winter season, and hot during summer days. Because of this, you should already know that particular items can not be stored inside your garage for a number of reasons—wear and tear, prone to danger, etc. We listed down some objects so that you won’t make the mistake of storing them in this often neglected space.
1. Rags and Mats that are Oily
It’s not just because it’s slippery, oily rags can actually cause spontaneous combustion. This happens when rags that have been soaked in oil are stored in a hot area. Simply put, oily rags may start a fire in your house that may even be too late to put out, should the emergency happen. What should be done is to try to eliminate the oil by covering it with water and a detergent. It should be stored inside a small, airtight, and non-combustible container.
2. Sleeping Bags
When you leave sleeping bags in the garage, mice and other pests may crawl inside and make a nest out of the comfortable, safe, and very warm sleeping bag. When pests invade the bag, droppings may be left which you would for sure not like. You don’t want to grab your camping bag at the last minute and see the rats and insects that have made it to their residence. It’s better to store your sleeping bag inside the house where it will be relatively safer from mice and other pests.
3. Propane Tanks
If you have a griller for brunches with family and friends at your place, chances are you also have a propane tank. Most likely you would store your griller in your garage and pull out the propane tank as well to check it in. It may not come as a surprise but this might also pose a fire hazard that can leave not only your garage but also the whole house burning. Simply starting your car at the garage with a leaking propane tank nearby can already ignite a fire. So what to do with propane tanks? Store them outside. Do not put them in an enclosed area that’s exposed to a high temperature.
4. Books and other reading materials
If you love your books, you won’t store them in the garage. Yes, maybe you’ve accumulated a whole lot of reading materials throughout the years and they might no longer be of use every day. This doesn’t mean, however, that you’ll discard books in the garage because it would surely kill your book. As established, the garage is damp, wet, and dark so insects such as silverfish may feed off a starchy substance it can sniff.
5. Pet Food
This is again another bad idea. Food in a garage? Then who do you think will join the party? The smell of pet food can be so potent that it will surely draw the attention of insects and pests. You don’t want to feed your beloved furry pet food that’s infested with pests. You also don’t want to keep feeding these pests by giving them easier access to food. It’s better to store your pet food along with the household’s food. Just make sure to properly label in capital letters that those are pet food so no one would mistake it as human food.
6. Paint
This might come as a shock to you but paint shouldn’t be stored in the garage. Why? Because different types of paint have different formulas that are designed specifically for certain temperatures. When exposed to extreme heat or extreme cold, paint can be destroyed. Paint cans that have been sitting in your garage for too long, under different weather conditions, should already be discarded. Paint is actually expensive so make it last for longer by opting to store it in your basement than your garage.
7. Firewood
Another shocker to you in this list might be firewood. First, if you store chunks of this in your garage, bugs who love firewood would find their way into your house. These insects may include wood-boring beetles, carpenter ants, termites, spiders, wasps, and roaches. Rodents may also be invited in with the presence of firewood in your garage. These animals may damage your home’s electric wires and insulation. Wood would also most likely not dry out inside the garage which might spread mold spores when used to make fire and can be a health hazard for everyone around. Better store your firewood outside, a dry area with wind blocks, and ground with a wood pallet.
Final Thoughts
When these fire and health hazards are out of the way in your garage, there would be more space to move around and little to no area that would be inviting to pests and rodents. Fewer items in the garage don’t mean you don’t have to organize what's left in storage. It’s actually a good time because it’s easier to organize items now that you’ve taken out some that shouldn’t be in the garage in the first place. Take it one step at a time and trust quality storage solutions from companies like FlexiMounts. Just a quick look in the company’s catalog would lead you to overhead racks, wall shelves, bike storage equipment, utility hooks, and a lot more. The overhead racks and wall shelves even have multiple levels to further maximize your ceiling and wall space. They are made of high-grade steel that is guaranteed durable and heavy-duty for your heavy and pricey equipment stored at your garage. Time to use up those organization skills, do a major cleaning, and prepare for the Holidays!