Newbie question - :)

[fazersharp]

If he has that much gunk down there maybe there is some on the exhaust as well, anyway as slappy said clean it up, but I prefer to use spray can chain lube for pivots like the stands, it sprays on easy, flows into the pivots and dries to a grease so lasts longer than wd40

Defiantly this.
And for cleaning gunk I use parafin or somtimes called kerosene from your local garage in that bin outside near the door