I usually don't bother to clean the frame unless it's really caked on, but I clean the chain very often, because that is the main thing that keeps the bike silent and smooth feeling. I can always feel a big difference in ride quality after I clean the chain. I'll usually take a shop rag and grip the chain with it, and slowly turn the pedals, while pulling the chain through the rag, and after all that is done, I drip triflow onto the chain, and then run the chain through a rag again to get rid of the excess lube. This works great for me, and I highly recommend it. Just make sure not to get your fingers caught in the cog. I read a previous thread about a kid who cut off the tip of this thumb doing this.