After reading that suggestion here at TE, I used q-tips to clean the factory gunk from between the links of the new chain I had installed last year. Worked very nicely. Now I always have a supply of rags, q-tips, and cotton balls (to wipe down my rims with rubbing alcohol) handy when I clean my bike, just in case.

Kali - You-can't-be-too-obsessed - Durga