Bike wash area in garden

Our garden is mostly clay so washing the bike out there just makes a slippery, muddy mess, so I’m looking for cheap ideas to make a small area to rinse the bike without ruining the lawn and making it look like the aftermath of a small festival.

Can’t really do gravel/pebbles as the wife’s dog likes to dig.

Any ideas or photos of what you have made?

A lawn? It’s just bare clay?

Clay soil. Takes ages to dry out and doesn’t drain well.

Plastic Shed base things with some gravel?

Grey concrete utility slabs?

Can’t really do gravel/pebbles as the wife’s dog likes to dig.

Gravel / pebble soakaway with a slatted drainage platform over it (or a lid) to stop the pooch?

Soakaway won’t work on clay soil. I’ve got the same problem in the back of my mind (also on heavy clay soil). Figured i’d get some composite decking or something and connect the drain to our land drain.

dig out a small section and use gravel grids maybe even add a bike stand / small fence post to rest the bike against whilst cleaning

edit how much water are you guys using to suggest a soakaway?! a quick hose down and if need be a bucket of water is good enough for my families bikes.

edit how much water are you guys using to suggest a soakaway?!

Maybe not the correct term in this situation – I just meant a bit of a dug out gravel trap to give the water somewhere to go (and soak away slowly) whilst reducing the mud.

Can you mix a load of sand in with your clay soil in one spot in the garden? Maybe with a layer of gravel underneath?