Washing the car: a homely chore

Washing the car at home and by hand is the most popular way to clean the car, new research from leading car leasing website, ContractHireAndLeasing.com concludes.
 
Polling 1792 motorists the website found that 47 per cent said they usually wash the car themselves at home, while a further 13 per cent said they designated that job to someone else in the family.
 
Nevertheless the car wash industry is worth millions every year, with a further 34 per cent choosing to pay for a car wash service of one kind or another. The most popular of these pay-for services was a hand car wash with 15 per cent paying for some else to pick up the sponge, followed by automated roll over car washes, which took 14 per cent of the vote. Just 5 per cent paid for a self-service jet wash.
 
Shockingly 6 per cent say they never wash their car, subjecting the car’s paint and bodywork to a dangerous build-up of dirt and reducing the likely resale value of their car.
 
“Caring for your car is an important part of helping it retain its value. Regularly cleaning also ensures your lights are visible and if you are contract hiring your vehicle, will help ensure you meet your fair wear and tear criteria at the end of your lease and don’t face additional charges,” says the website’s spokesperson Richard Lawton.
 
He adds: “Even with the explosion of hand car wash businesses in recent years, it still seems that seems that for most people, washing the car on a fine day is an enjoyable pastime.”