Here's mine:
I just use Armor All wipes... they sell them at WalMart & Autozone.
They're easy to slide into tight spaces & last a long time before chucking them & getting a clean one. Easier than rags.
I use the Orange ones on hoses & the purple ones on all metal, then use armor all on a rag to "touch up" my hoses. I then use a metal polish on all non-painted metal (except the intake - I just use a plastic bristle brush on that.
I wipe my belts w/ a damp rag just to be safe.
If you do it once a week (once every two weeks at minimum) you should keep a nice tidy engine. It takes about an hour at the absolute most. Once your engine is relatively clean, you can use about 3 of each per cleaning.