How dirty are people’s cars? We asked hundreds of people all over the US to tell us about their spooky, scary car cleaning habits and we found out some shocking details!
First, we asked, “how often do you clean your car?” and we found that 1 in 3 people (33%) ONLY clean their car if it’s dirty. Wow, do these guys need a Soapy Joe’s wash club membership or what? Not only that, but men are 89% more likely than women to report they NEVER clean their car. In addition, Midwesterners are twice as likely to say “NEVER” as well. Scary.
Especially considering what you told us about how dirty your cars are. On a scale of 1 (Clean) – 10 (Dirty), 20% of people gave themselves a very dirty grade of 8+. It turns out age matters here, and that number jumps to 38% for people aged 35-44 (that’s 53% more than all other ages).
So how exactly does car care fit into people’s lives? We asked about first dates, back to school, and job interviews. Of the routines explored, 1 in 3 told us that car care is part of their “Self Care” routine! Now that’s more like it. There is a big age difference in this trend, with people 45+ years-old reporting “car care is self-care” 134% more than 18-34 year-olds. That said, men and women were equally as likely to tell us cleaning their car is part of their self-care routines.
We also wanted to know how people’s digital spaces compared to “IRL” areas. Guess what…you’re more concerned overall with IRL. When we asked what you’d be most “scared” to show a new partner, “closet” was the number one thing (40%) followed by your car (23%). Midwest folks were MOST scared to show their closets – 55%. That’s 58% more than in other areas. Women have the biggest spread in their fear factor of sharing IRL vs. physical spaces: 34% IRL vs. 16% digital, which amounts to a 72% difference in the realms.
Two spaces that strike fear in many a hearty soul: the space under car seats; the space under couch cushions. So, which do people say is scarier? Couch cushions take the prize with 2/3 parents voting for this space (59%). But, this varies regionally. People in the midwest and northeast say “couch” 15% more while people in the south and west say car seats are scarier 20% more.
The nation is divided on what has the biggest fear factor: eating off the hood of your car or your kitchen floor (34% each). Midwesterners say most often they’d eat off their car vs. other regions, topping out at 37%. That’s 108% more than their eastern counterparts. Ewwww.
Probably not surprisingly, nearly 3 out of 4 people (71%) reported they eat in their car. We also asked folks “what’s the scariest thing you’ve found in your car”. Aside from dead possums, rats, diapers and the like, “FOOD!” was the number one thing. Clean up after yourselves, ya hungry ghouls and goblins!
Sounds like it’s time for a Soapy Joe’s membership…and a stop at the complimentary vacuums while you’re here.
For more information and additional data, please contact: soapyjoescw@powerdigital.com
