My wife cleans the "eye boogers", and I can assure you that neither of our girls like it.
My wife sits them on her lap, pets them and praises them and removes the offending crusties with one hand while holding their "beard" firmly (yet gently)
with her other hand.
She does it because she has fingernails and can remove them more easily. When I do it, I go the warm washcloth route.
I read that tip about holding the beard on here to get them to hold still while trimming the hair around their eyes.
Hope this helps....of course if there's too much drama you may have to cease and desist and try again a little later.
