Originally Posted by BCRider

While the SRAM masters are easily good for more than one attach and reconnect it's not a wise idea to make a habit of it such as for cleaning chains. A far better option is to get one of the Park or similar three wheelbrush cleaning gizmos that allow you to clean the chain right on the bike.

Or in a pinch get a long wide pan of some sort and pour in some mineral spirits and while holding the pan under the chain use an old toothbrush to scrub it clean. While it's wet back pedal a lot as well to aid the solvent in getting inside all the pins. Slop it down well, backpedal about ten cranks worth then scrub the chain off with spirits from the pan. Repeat a time or two then blot it dry with some paper towel. Pour the dirty spirits into a sealable jar to settle for re-use. Wipe out the pan and use a little more spirits for the final scrub down. By the time you do this twice the stuff coming off the chain onto the paper towel should be only lightly grey. If it's still leaving seriously black stains then do the whole pour out and new spirits a third time.

This way is actually better than doing it in a jar or tin where you're not changing the spirits because you're using cleaner spirits as the chain comes clean so it's doing a better job of getting out the residual grit and comtaminants.

I normally get my Powerlinks to come off by hand by sqeezing the outer plates together and then lightly but firmly flex the chain side to side. This seems to work the snap connetions apart. And as I say, when done ONLY a couple of times in the life of the chain it doesn't seem to degrade the connection to any noticable degree.