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Windex (assuming it's the basic blue stuff) is fine for powder buildup. But it will not remove lead, copper, sabot residue......etc.

If the hammer on your lock is aligned perfectly.

A handy item to have is a homemade loading block of hardwood made to hold 2-3 pre-patched/lubed balls, strung around your neck . It speeds up follow-up shot if needed.

Make it about 3/4" thick, 1.5" wide and 2.5" - 3" long (for two balls). Use a flat drill bit that is just a smidge bigger than the max diameter of your muzzle ( NOT measured across the flats, but activities the "points"). Drill it about 1/8 -3/16" deep. Then drill a hole all the way though the centet of each recessed area which will hold your pre-lubed patched ball snug ( i. e. .530" ball + ( 2x patch thickness)= ~hole diameter. If 0.018" patch, then through-hole should be a smidge smaller than 0.530"+0.036" =0.566" max diameter hole) . Too big, and pre-lubed patched balls will fall out. Too tight, you won't be able to get the patched ball in the block without distorting the ball. Bevel the "top" side of each hole to make loading the lubed, patched ball easier into the loading block.

You can buy loading blocks, but most do not have the recessed area for quick alignment. If you are using a half stock rifle you can file /cut the muzzle end of the under-rib so it is 1/8" below the muzzle. This allows you to take full advantage of the recessed area of the loading block

The recessed area allows quick alignment and positioning of the mounted patched ball over the muzzle. You can make a ball block with as many holes as you like, but 2 to 6 balls is typical. Two or three holes is good for hunting, in case one falls out (and is overall small in size). Snug fit, not tight fitting is the goal for grip/retention.
video of loading block for patched round balls

Go ahead and get you a range rod, a metal one. Stainless or brass, and use it like a workhorse. If you bust your rifle's ramrod, or pull an end off, or whatever, you're dead in the water. Why abuse something when it's not necessary?

I prefer a slotted brass patch attachment to a jag. I feel like I am just pushing crud into the breech when I use a jag. It also allows me to flip the patch around to get at the face of the breech plug. When hunting and your load stays in for a while, use a non water based lube or you will get a rust ring. I use mink oiled patches in an altoids tin. I use ballistol cut back with water to clean, full strength to preserve. It will not darken or soften your wood.

Breech scraper.

Yeah, it's another thing to keep track of. Yeah, it's another step to take. But, it's a tool that produces positive results and no guessing if you're leaving crap building up on the breech plug.

I do the soak with a toothpick in the vent and it comes out clean when use a wet patch flipped forard of the rod tip. So far I've never needed a scraper but I am not a high volume shooter and I wipe between shots. Just works for me.

I was talking about between shots, but ok.

Got you Feral American. I would also add that the basic models of a Swiss Army Knife are also very handy to have in a bag. Not the big ones with everything. But the bare bones ones. There is a screw driver on there for lock bolts and a knife to cut patches all in one. Plus tweezers for ticks and splinters. One other little piece of advice-tighten your lock bolts down a out two fingers worth of a turn. That way you don't over compress the wood and you wind up with a lock that is not held tight.

Dixie gun works , get the catalog, it's full of good stuff plus all sorts of info in the back about all types of blackpowder things