bilge maintenance, etc

[oceanroadus]

Hi all, I was wondering how often and how do you all clean your bilges.  After sailing on large wooden boats that always required pumping it is a beautiful thing that it seems our Suncat bilge has hardly anything in it ever.  I had to run some water in it with a hose to test the pump initially.  That said do you all run some mild soap in there once a year or so and pump it out through the bilge pump?  I know there is always going to be a little water in there so I have started to open up the cockpit hatches to allow air circulation (we keep her in our garage).  I store some wood frames for an extended bed rack in the cabin area underneath the step and they got a little moldy from being in there so I hope keeping the hatches open will dry it up a bit.  Also do you all pull out your entire anchor rode after a saltwater cruise and rinse?  I have just been kinda spraying the hose into the chain locker and pumping out excess water, probably lazy way but quick.