Building on the success that washing her play car in the yard was met with (Backyard Car Wash link here), on another recent hot day I suggested she have a "bike wash." Her handles were sticky (couldn't be that maple syrup from breakfast, could it?) and the rest of the bike wouldn't be harmed from a good washing either. So we filled a pail with soapy water (we used hand soap - she loves to squirt it in), I handed her a sponge and she was off. She diligently scrubbed the handles and the seat and even the wheels. She liked squeezing out the soapy sponge.
When she declared she was fishished, I recommended she use the hose to rinse off the soap. No arguments on her part.
To finish off the job, she said she needed to give it a "test ride." She did and it worked as good as new (and without sticky handle bars!)
Title image by Paul Mayne