When I go to the trouble of taking it off, I clean it in the sink with dish soap and a lot of hot water. I wear gloves. I scrub out the sink with baking soda afterwards. The problem with solvents is breathing them, getting them on the skin. I use them outside when I clean stuff still on the bicycle. FBinNY says that if you clean a chain with water you have to dry it out in a low oven afterwards.