A lot of the time I only wipe my track down with a damp thin sponge cloth wrapped around a block of wood. I've found it is all I need when running regularly. Our railway is under a lot of trees so there is always a lot of necture, pollen or the like.
If I haven't used track power for a while and intend running 4 wheel loco's then I have a three part method, sounds perdantic but doesn't take than long. First whisk along a section with the damp cloth, a couple of quick light burnishes with an LGB track cleaning block, then whisk along again with the damp cloth - you'd be amazed how black the cloth gets!
Oh and I run only metal wheels which helps a lot.
Ah but now I've got cunning, slowly changing to battery power, no need for the LGB track cleaning block, but do still whisk along with the damp cloth sometimes if there is a lot of plant debris or sticky pollen/necture etc, hmm and calling cards from visiting birds, grrr.