I have no idea what's in brake cleaner, but would be really leery of spraying it around carbon fiber.

I just remove the chain and cassette and soak them in bike-specific degreaser for 10 minutes or so, scrub and rinse. I like the stuff from Pedro's.
The rest of the bike and drivetrain get cleaned with soapy water and a sponge. If there's a lot of grime on the derailleur pulley wheels or chain rings, I'll scrub them with a brush and then rinse everything off with a hose.

I haven't used Pledge yet, but might give that a try. My glossy finish on my bike gets smudges on it really easy, so maybe this will help.