For me, one or two times a year, on a warm sunny day, i sit on a stool and with a toothbrush, a can of brake cleaner (NOT degreaser spray), then some red rubber grease, and i will spend however long it takes to give the pots a clean up, front and rear.
It can sometimes take up to 4 hours with all the poncing about clamping calipers and also doing it whilst everything is still attached to the brake lines, but it's a VERY worthwhile and satisfying job, that not only keeps them functioning perfectly but the rubber grease keeps the nastiness at bay, so you can go for years doing the same thing without any need for a major overhaul.