What would be the best to use when cleaning oil off of a valve cover?

Spilled a little on mine and it got hot and spread all over the top and pretty much looks like ****. I want to clean it so I can finish painting it. I already painted the part that covers the cam gears [just to test] and it looks pretty good.

 

strip the old paint off.........

repaint it again complete

 

I used gasoline and a small brush, and it worked out pretty good.

 

Brake.parts cleaner will remove the oil pretty eaisily only down side is it leave a white dry stuff you can clean with water and a brush