A lot of eating in cars but few cleaned

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TORONTO, April 22 (UPI) -- Despite spending an average of five hours per week in a vehicle, most drivers clean their car interiors only every few months, a Canadian survey indicates.

A survey conducted by Canadian Tire indicated 73 percent of respondents cleaning their car interiors less than once every few months.

Melissa Honour, category business manager, auto cleaning and auto body repair at Canadian Tire, said compared to the amount of time spent cleaning the kitchen, it appears that vehicles are a neglected source of dirt and grime.

Almost half of Canadian drivers surveyed spend five to 10 hours a week preparing or eating a meal in the kitchen and 83 percent of respondents clean them regularly -- more than once a week.

However, although Canadians spend five hours week in their vehicles and 84 percent of Canadian drivers eat and drink in their vehicles, 18.7 percent don't immediately clean food and drink spills, leaving them to attract bacteria and insects.

Twenty-three percent of Canadian drivers typically travel with pets, but only 14 percent make an effort to limit dirty paw prints, hair and unwanted slobber by putting them in a travel carrier.

Drivers should clean the interior of their vehicles at least once a week in high use areas such as your steering wheel and thoroughly wax the exterior twice a year -- spring and fall, Honour advised.

The survey of 1,003 Canadian adults was conducted March 30 to April 2. It has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.