It is really funny you mention this (and I am now a little concerned).
I got stuck in that nasty storm that hit the midwest last week, driving back to Minneapolis from Chicago. I stopped halfway to get wiper fluid. When I popped my hood, my engine bay looked like the side of my car - caked in dirt and salt, as though I'd driven in the storm and slush with my hood open. I was shocked it was so dirty, given it was the first time it had been driven when they've salted roads or in a storm (it also was a terrifying drive: these stock all-seasons are garbage, I was sliding and losing control when late model Cavaliers were speeding past me).
But now this is concerning to me. This salt has no place being under my hood in my engine bay, and if they say you shouldn't power wash or clean it with water under there, what are we supposed to do? Not all of us live in sunshine and rainbow weather 12 months a year, and after looking, you're right - there's hardly ANY weatherstripping to protect the engine bay from stuff coming in at all.
I am now disgusted, because the cost cutting they did to this vehicle has extended into the engine bay, and this salt could wreak HAVOC over time in there if it's not cleaned up, and I'll be expected to foot the bill due to Honda's beancounting. What a bummer...