ORIGINAL: psuguru
If you're going to be investing in equipment how about a small-parts washer?
Clarke do fairly cheap ones (from Machine-Mart in the UK) and you can use it for your car parts too.
I've tried the cooking method with blue anti-freeze. Useless! Definately use the green stuff.
Actually, I emailed that friend in the club who told me of this, and who has a crockpot dedicated for this purpose and asked if I could borrow his.
Thanks for the tip on the antifreeze although I thought it was all ethylene glycol regardless of the color. I have the green stuff though.