1 in 100 Aussies Refuse to Vacuum Their Car, Are You One of Them?

Australians keep it clean, stick to white cars, and know their oil checks—except Queenslanders, who admit to being the messiest.

Wash the car in small sections, rinsing immediately to help prevent soapy residue from drying and forming streaks. M-Production/Shutterstock

When it comes to car care, Australians are surprisingly diligent—or at least claim to be.

A recent Budget Direct survey of more than 950 Australians aged over 18 found nearly 45 percent clean the inside of their car at least once a month.

Meanwhile, about 44 percent give the outside of their car a wash with the same frequency. An enthusiastic 12 percent scrub their vehicles every week.

New South Wales and South Australia drivers were crowned the most squeaky clean, with 13 percent in each state washing their car exteriors weekly.

South Australians also showed impressive monthly dedication, with nearly half (49 percent) tending to their vehicle’s paintwork at least once a month.

But not all states are as attentive. Queenslanders, while known for their sunshine and surf, aren’t quite as spotless behind the wheel.

Two percent of respondents from the state admitted they never clean the outside of their car—although they did redeem themselves somewhat by leading the nation in post-road trip clean-ups (3 percent).

And in a stat for the brave (or maybe just busy): one percent of all respondents confessed they never clean their car interiors—ever.

White Cars Rule, But Not All Colours Shine

While Australians may dream in technicolour, their car preferences suggest otherwise.

White remains the most common car colour on the road, with 30 percent of respondents currently owning one.

Queenslanders, the Maroon State, don’t show much love for red cars, with just 7 percent opting for the bold hue.

Interestingly, personal expression shows up more in the form of number plates than paint. Queenslanders again stood out, leading the way with 27 percent reporting they have a personalised plate.

As for bumper stickers, Victorian drivers were most likely to sport one (19 percent), followed closely by Queenslanders (15 percent) and Western Australians (14 percent). Meanwhile, South Australians seem to be bumper purists—90 percent said their cars were sticker-free.

Handy Behind the Wheel Too

Beyond appearances, the survey also revealed that Australians aren’t entirely clueless under the bonnet. More than 70 percent said they know how to do basic oil and water checks, a reassuring figure in the age of automatic everything.

The results suggest that, despite our tendency toward practical car colours and occasional messiness, Australians still care about their cars, at least enough to keep them ticking.

Just maybe don’t spill chips in a Queenslander’s backseat—you might be waiting a while for that cleanup.