Originally Posted by cyccommute

You're on the right track just have the wrong pH. Oven cleaners are basic not acidic. It would sopanify any grease derived from animal or vegetable fats but, unless you use bacon fat to grease your chain, I doubt that it would touch modern petroleum greases. These don't have any functionalities to sopanify. The way degreasers work on petroleum based greases and lubricants is by disolving like materials. A hydrocarbon grease will easily dissolve in another hydrocarbon like kerosene or gasoline. DO NOT USE GASOLINE! DO NOT mix detergent with gasoline to remove grease. Commercial degreasers use combinations of chemicals and detergents to remove grease and make it water-soluble.