Originally Posted by
Spld cyclist
You don't need to soak for more than a few minutes. Maybe less than a minute would be fine. It doesn't hurt a steel part to soak for a long time in mineral spirits. You could leave it for weeks with no problems.
+1, Steel can sit in OMS for a very long time (maybe forever) without any issues. Soak it long enough to break down the oils or waxes so the dire is loose and comes free easily. That can be anything from a few minutes to overnight. If soaking for a long time, cover the container to minimize evaporation.