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A social media craze that sees users dancing, spraying foam and even climbing on top of their cars could end up costing drivers thousands in repairs, experts have warned.

The viral "car wash trend" - often set to a sped-up version of Ellie Goulding’s Lights has taken over the app, with friends scrubbing their vehicles in sync while covering them (and themselves) in soap. Even Ellie herself has got involved.

But car experts at Scrap Car Comparison say the trend could be far from harmless. Matt Clamp, customer service manager at the firm, said the choreography could damage cars if people aren’t careful.

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He explained: "Even if you are careful with the cleaning materials you use and the paint and protective layers are kept intact, the dancing and stunts encouraged in the videos often lead to the users standing on the bonnets or roofs of their cars, which could lead to dents, big scratches or cracks in the panels.

"Again, this could be a pricy move as you could be expected to fork out anything between £150 to £1,000 to repair dents and repainting panels."

And it’s not just clambering across cars that could land people in trouble, he also warned: “In addition, the trend suggests going nuts with a pressure washer, but you need to be careful when using such a powerful stream, as it could damage smaller, more fragile parts of your car such as windscreen wipers, mirrors or plastic trims, but it could equally damage the chrome and paint.”

And this is not only a issue for vehicle damage, there are serious concerns about the water waste - especially during hosepipe bans – and the makeshift cleaning mixtures used in some videos.

Mr Clamp added: “The harsh DIY cleaning mixtures recommended in some of the videos (often equal parts vinegar and coconut oil) could be potentially harmful to your vehicle’s surfaces, such as the paint. The acidity in the vinegar could corrode clear coats, contributing to a dull finish on your car over time, and coconut oil could actually erode the finish entirely.

“Even kitchen soap or dishwasher detergent, or indeed excessive amounts of dedicated car cleaning products could strip protective wax layers that help prevent UV rays from fading your paint or other road contaminants attaching to your car.

“This could end up costing you if repairs are needed. Even minor swirl marks or light scratches could cost you up to £300, whilst respraying an etched or faded clear coat to rack up to £2,000 if several panels are damaged.”