Dubai: The UAE is all about cleanliness, from the shiny marble floors at the mall to the reflecting glass façade on skyscrapers along Dubai’s Shaikh Zayed Road.
And when it comes to the road, cars are no different.
UAE residents have their vehicles professionally cleaned at an average of three times a month, according to a recent survey carried out by VIS, the organisers of Middle East Cleaning Technology Week (MECTW).
The cost of professionally cleaning a vehicle ranges from Dh35 to Dh100, which means that residents spend between Dh105 and Dh300 on their cars.
Meanwhile, Emiratis spend more time having their cars cleaned at an average of four to five times a month.
“Vehicle owners want their cars to look pristine and ensure it is germ-free at all times. Today, there are many cost effective techniques that can be used to improve cleanliness and air quality of your car," said Mohammad Asim, Business Development Manager, AutoPlus Cars Spare Part Trading.
"[Yet] we have seen the general consensus where people are usually more careful about their home environment and what quality of the air they like to breathe. Not much attention is paid for the similar air within our vehicle indoor environment,” he said.
The survey also showed that 95 percent of UAE residents living in residential buildings spend an average of Dh100 a month having their cars cleaned every alternative day. Car washes are usually carried out by security guards of the building, or by other members of utility staff employed by the building owner.
Despite special cleaning services available at their residence, motorists said they use professional cleaning services mainly to have the car’s interior vacuumed, and to remove the dirt from the underbelly of their vehicle.
However, owners of luxury cars said they relied on waxing tents available in select service stations to keep their cars looking pristine. Owners said they used this service, which costs from Dh700 to Dh1,000, only when they intended to sell their cars.
The study also revealed that 90 per cent of people complained that dents were mainly caused in parking lots, especially those in shopping malls, caused by the opening of car doors that were parked next to theirs.
A further five per cent complained about dents at residential parking lots, while another five per cent admitted that dents were self-inflicted because of careless driving.
The survey also reported that residents were highly unlikely to fix these small car dents, unless they was part of other major repair works on the car.
