For quite a while, I was washing without a hose at all. I'd fill a bucket with soapy water (car wash detergent, of course) and use it to suds-up the car. Then, I'd dump it out, refill with clear water, and dump that all over the car to rinse, often with a second bucket's worth for good measure.
I was surprised at how quickly I could get a good wash. Plus, the water seemed to flow off the car better when it was just a big mass. Using a hose leaves all these droplets everywhere, and they take longer to dry to get it spot-free.
Since then, I've gotten myself a hose that I can keep in my apartment, and I've been able to do a better job of cleaning the underside (well, what I can reach) and the wheel wells. I'll probably go back to dumping a bucket of water for a final rinse, though.
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