Having a quick link on your chain will make cleaing your bike a lot easier. Search for Raiyn's chain cleaning method which I think works the best and is easiest.

I live in an apartment too, and have a small outside porch area to work. After each wet winter ride, I take off the chain, I fill a small bucket with warm soapy water and with a long handled brush give all the affected parts a quick once over. Only about two minutes time tops. Then rinse off with a water from an a 2 liter soda bottle with a fliptop cap from a dish washing soap bottle. Squeeze the bottle and you get a good enough jet to rinse off the bike. The pull up nipple type top from dish washing soap doesn't have a good seal and leaks. The fliptop type cap fits good. Target has the flipup style and I'll post a picture when I get home. Bounce the bike on it's tires a few times to get off some water and roll it into the tile kitchen floor to dry. Rinse and hang up the chain, towel dry parts, whole thing is done in five minutes. In the morning put chain back on, quick lube with Triflow and I'm good to go.

Set up the bucket and bottle of water before you leave and it's a simple quick process. Any more complex and I would never do it. Water dosen't have time to freeze and you can avoid an intense one time clean up until warmer weather.