I'm with fuzz and for the very seem reason; your truss rod is set up to counter balance your string tension. With out that tension, your guitar will take much longer to settle in to that balance if it does at all without an adjustment to the truss.

Leave on.

When I clean the build up from the fretboard, I just move the string aside. It's not all that hard and honestly, I don't bother thinking about that there is an easier way. Why bother thinking that way when there is really only the most recommended way which is to maintain tension on your neck and leave the strings on.