Nearly a fifth of motorists have stopped taking their car to professional car wash services in the past year – and over half reckon they do a ‘good’ job themselves
Millions of drivers are trying to save the pennies amid the cost-of-living crisis – by cleaning their cars themselves, rather than taking them to a professional car wash.
Nearly a fifth of motorists (18%) have ditched professional car washing services in the past year – with saving money named as the top reason for doing so.
And the poll of 2,000 car owners found that 28% clean their vehicle’s exterior at least once a month – while 29% also spruce up their car’s interior monthly, or more.
A total of 25 hours and 41 minutes a year is spent making the outside of their vehicle nice and shiny, while 19 hours and 48 minutes a year is dedicated to cleaning the inside of the car.
But approaches to washing cars differ, as 23% simply use hot water and washing-up liquid, followed by a quick hose down – while 17% go the whole hog, using specialist car cleaning products and waxes. But 14% admit they never wash their car at all.
The study was commissioned by eBay UK, which has seen a 64% year-on-year increase in sales of vehicle vacuums – with demand for wash, wax, and cleaning kits also up 20%.
Laura Richards, spokeswoman for the online marketplace, said: “Consumers are increasingly taking things into their own hands as a result of the cost-of-living crisis, and the study suggests this extends to keeping their vehicles spotless, as they look for ways to save money.
“But it’s not just about making their money go further – for a significant number of those polled, it appears to be a passion.”
The study also found half of motorists pride themselves on having a clean car, with 64% admitting it’s “important” to them to keep it dirt-free.
The “passion” for washing their motor inside and out isn’t all down to lack of money and rising prices, as 28% carry out this task because they “know” they’ll do a good job.
And 18% actively enjoy doing it, with 9% saying they don’t trust anyone else to wash their vehicle for them.
When asked about the quality of their car cleaning and washing abilities, 54% describe their standard as “good”, and 27% even claim they clean their car as well as – if not better than – “most” professional car washers.
However, the study, via OnePoll, found there are aspects of car cleaning that 76% find challenging – with the most testing tasks named as avoiding streaks, followed by cleaning the wheel trims, and vacuuming the car interior.
Laura Richards added: “While many professional cleaning services do a great job, doing it yourself is an easy way to save money and ensure the job is done to your satisfaction.
“But dirt can be stubborn, so it’s important to have the right tools and cleaning products for the task at hand.”
