^ +1
When I bring my bikes home, for the first time - brand new... the first thing I do is apply several coats of those space-age Teflon-based "apply-once-a-year" automotive/aircraft polymer product - not a wax... (you know, the one you see in the TV infomercials that dries into a protective film and you can pour lighter fluid over it and ignite it and the paint underneath doesn't bum, etc.)
Then I just do that... water hose, then bounce dry, then rag. Sometimes if it's not real muddy (off-road mountain bikes I use) I skip the water hose and just use an old wet face towel after brushing any abrasive grit off. The less time I drench the bike in water the better for the bearings. Most of the time a soft dry brush will clean off small dried mud splatter from the "non-stick" surface of the bike. When I notice that dirt/mud/grease/oil/road grime begins to adhere to the frame again, it's time for another coating (about once a year).
I used to think nothing of detergent, until I imagined all those tons and tons of soap and detergent we produce each year all ending up in our drains and into the oceans. I'm not saying don't use detergent, or solvents, just minimizing here and there all helps.
Cheers
.