I have bought 5 litres of iso-propyl alcohol which has a myriad of uses in the home, garage, workshop etc..in fact, it's indispensable. It's used, in industry, to clean and "de-gunge" lots machinery including electric motors. (And, incidentally, useful for cleaning watches, bracelets etc!).
Methyl hydrate is another name for methanol....which is a simpler alcohol than IPA. It has similar properties to other alcohols so could be worth a try....it won't do any harm to the motor.
OK. Thanks to both of you. Gingejbee, I use the MH for clock parts. After soaking the stripped down movement in concentrated Simple Green and then rinsing with water, I place the parts in MH to displace the water and then gently dry with a hair dryer. This motor is from a clock from the early'50s, so I'd like to clean it before testing it. Thanks.