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Meths you buy in places like B & Q is mineral oil base and so can leave a residue and can attack the seals on some brake calipers.
Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) as it's name suggests is not oil based and will not cause seal degradation in calipers or forks. It's what I use and as mentioned, make sure it's the full on stuff without any soaping agents.
Meths and white spirit do make good chain cleaners though.
IPA (not the beer, although that may work but would be wasteful) is also excellent as a general cleaner, stuff like glue residue, hard to shift grime and for cleaning electronics. It evaporates, leaves nothing behind but is flammable and has an invisible flame.