You're in luck because I did it both ways. While they were in the cylinders and then after I took them out!

All for nothing! because I decided to completely replace them!
Anyhow, while the block was on the stand I flipped it upside down, then VERY CAREFULLY sprayed purple power and used a tooth brush, rag and shop vac to get all the carbon off. That way (upside down) all the stuff just falls to the floor. You have to be SUPER careful not to get any of that carbon pieces falling in between the piston and the cylinder because it can damage the rings and scratch the cylinder walls when you start it up and run.
After two weeks of thinking I started doubting myself that I didn't get any carbon pieces in between there....so I decided to take them out. I could have left them

, they were perfectly fine and had no pieces in the rings or anywhere else.
22RE engine
Before
After