When i was a kid it was my job to clean all of my dads new surplus rifles he picked up from bradis on the way home or that we went and bought together. Some were mine. I always thought he was just being mean to me because he didnt want to do the dirty work but now I know he was teaching me how to take them apart without damage and how to properly clean and maintain them all. Back then it was still the good stuff you could buy. Paratropper SKS's, Russian and chinese SKS's, swiss rifles, chinese AK's etc. I dont know how many I did over the years. Lots and lots.
I mostly used simple green that I remember. Break cleaner is great too on the metal parts like KJQ said. I use that now on parts sometimes as a degreaser.
Get you a tube with like a turkey baster from your wifes kitchen and some very hot water mixed with like simple green or the purple stuff and force it through that barrel to push out as much of that grease first before you run your brush through it and gunk it up. It will help a lot.
Your wife will love it
