I don't use any kind of solvents on my pinch rollers...just water, and the minute amounts of tape oxide deposits comes off very easily, so not sure what problems you have...but then, I use good tape to start. I'm not understanding why some people have that much oxide deposits that they need to use more involved cleaning methods. Either they are using crap/old/deteriorating tape...or they clean their rollers once a year after heavy use, and wonder why it's so hard to get it off.
A Google search brought me here and since its likely found by others the same way the thread is still relevant. Lots of contention on the TEAC RC-1 Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner. Nothing wrong with empirical opinions, it helps guide others, so to balance out these experiences I'm adding my own.
The TEAC Rubber Cleaner/Condition, sometimes labelled as RC-1 sometimes not, came originally in green and later a clear version. Not sure if the chemical content was the same or not, but I've used it on many different pinch rollers, belts, and even butyl speaker surrounds since 1979. Never, not once had any application resulted in goo. Perhaps the goo was the result of deterioration that was inevitable and beyond the scope of conditioning, but I can assure the breakdown was nothing like I've ever heard of in my experiences. I have other friends in the field that also used it and never a negative experience. On the contrary, many are frustrated its no longer available. I have enough to last the rest of my days and am glad not to run out because no other product is as effective in MY experience. Those that have found a different preferred method, that's absolutely wonderful, but anyone looking for advice needs to understand that the product is not in any way harmful to the rubber its designed to be used on in tape decks. The original "green" formula will likely turn to a muddy greenish brown color over the years but it still smells the same and gives the same protection it always had, at least if stored reasonably well (cool, dry, out of the sun environment). I use 91% isopropyl alcohol on tape heads as well as as an initial cleaning of pinch rollers, then follow with the TEAC "RC-1" on said pinch rollers. I did this every other month routinely and I have pinch rollers that are over 40 years old and not only perform great, but measure (physically as well as speed variation and wow/flutter tested) perfectly. Heads are cleaned and demagnetized on each side of the tape when recording. Why clean so much? Sure I used premium cassettes and reel tape, but it's part of a regime I've found to be a best practice. Recording studios do this much more often than that so if your recording is important, your entire tape path is critical. It really doesn't need to be defended, but each individual is free to decide what's sufficient for them and what's excessive. Regarding substitutes, I have not used Caig's rubber cleaner/conditioner that's currently available, but when I looked it up on Parts Express just to get an idea of some feedback, the reviews were not favorable regarding its lasting effect of pliability of the rubber, stating the treatment dried out within days versus the longer lasting affect of RC-1. Most people I've read about on forums lament over the loss of TEAC's RC-1 as they try to find an equivalent. If Dawn dishwashing liquid works well, then there's a suggestion that might be worth considering for some.
As an aside, if anyone would be inclined to look up LAST record cleaning products you'd find the same kind of contentious exchange. Some love it and others say they wouldn't go anywhere near it, that it ruins records and have proof. I've used LAST products, including the *gasp* Preservative, and after over 40 years of demonstrable proof to the contrary, those treated LPs sound absolutely fabulous. No harm, great fidelity. If indeed that product ruined LPs it wouldn't be selective about it. Why would thousands of LPs thrive while some did not? Bad karma maybe? Perhaps, as you can't even apply it in such a way to "ruin" an LP; its a fool-proof application. The point being, whether its the TEAC products, LAST, or another product that wins more accolades than dissonance, remember that it can't be good for some people and bad for others. They just don't have a need to pick on some people and reward others. The only takeaway from this kind of debate a person can count on is being able to subtract the difference between excellent experiences from those that can articulate their claims and plain old out of hand dismissals, then make their own call. I just posted this to stand up for the TEAC products in question here because they are specialty products that work perfectly fine for the task they're designed to do. Then again I didn't do anything to piss them off, so maybe I was just one of the rewarded ones ;-)