Nearly one in five motorists (18%) actively enjoy washing their cars – and 27% reckon they are just as good at doing so, if not better, than “most” professional car washers, research has found.

A survey of 2,000 drivers found that two-thirds (64%) say it is “important” to them to keep their car shiny and clean – and 9% say they don't trust anyone but themselves to do so.

As a result, 18% have stopped taking their car to professional car wash services in the last 12 months – as the cost-of-living crisis prompts them to save their pennies.

But it is not just rising costs prompting drivers to clean their own cars – as 28% say they “know” they will do a good job themselves.

It also emerged that 28% of the drivers polled clean the exterior of their car at least once a month, spending 25 hours and 41 minutes doing so over the course of a year.

And for 29%, sprucing up their car's interior is just as important, as they do so monthly or more – adding up to 19 hours and 48 minutes in a year.

However, approaches to car cleaning vary, 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 research 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 – and when asked about the quality of their car cleaning and washing abilities, 54% describe their standard as “good”.

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.”