I think everyone washes their bicycles differently.... and some of us modify our procedures and time goes by. But using a bicycle work/repair stand [of some sort] seems to be universal. I have a bicycle work/repair stand that I haul out from the garage to the backyard every time I clean a bike.

I have heard of apartment dwellers using a rack mounted on the back of their cars [for transporting bikes] as a work/repair stand. I guess if you had a bucket, sponge, brush or two, and rags or towel handy... a cyclist could clean the bike at the car wash. Be careful with the power washer-like wands! Don't accidently force water into bearings and places where you don't want water.

In my home office I have an old bicycle that hangs on the wall like art... using a fold-down bicycle shelf-rack. This thread has got me thinking again about some sort of semi-permanent bicycle stand mounted on the backyard fence or deck.