Lubrication problems

[Doomtooth]

Well, I got lazy and think I did permanent damage to my cube. It is a storebought cube I have had for 5 years, and is slated for retirement as soon as my DIY gets delivered. I have lubricated in the past once or twice with what I believe to be pure silicone spray and it worked OK for a few days and then made the cube even stickier. So I went out and bought:

http://www.amazon.com/DuPont-Performance-Silicone-Lubricant-Aerosol/dp/B000RGZHFA

thinking that Teflon couldn't hurt the plastic. Just got done with it, did the typical method of tearing the cube apart, spraying each side and letting it air dry for 10 minutes, and now it feels like there is sand some other dry particulate inside the cube when I turn it, and it is slower than I ever remember it being. Mind you, this cube is old and may just be ready to be shelved, but I have a lot of nostalga for it and would like to at least return it to working order if possible.

My three questions are then:
1. Is this lubricant bad and should I not use it on my DIY when it arrives (cube4you has great prices but shipping takes FOREVER)?
2. Am I too quick to judge and it just needs some working in to return to proper speed or is it really ruined?
3. Is there a way to fix my cube after this mess? I'm up for anything from light sanding to hand washing the cubies with q-tips.

I've been cubing for years but only interested in speed cubing in the past few months, so help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[cuberkid10]

1.) I don't recommend you use this on your DIY's. You shouldnt risk it, and there are better silicon lubricants out there.
2.) Cubes do need time to be broken in after lubrication.
3.) You can always dump the pieces, (NOT THE CORE) into a sink of water and rinse them and dry.

My guess, you used to much silicone. 2 squirts for the whole cube. Maximum, 4-5.

 

[Doomtooth]

I followed the method in Thrawst's video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0rjg7ckq-0

so I don't think I over-lubed.

I'm going right now to exchange the lube I got for jig-a-loo, that seems to be pretty popular and the closest thing this hardware store has. I guess I will wash them off and try it again and see what happens. Assuming any of these stickers survive, they're already falling apart as it is. Poor ol cube.

Thanks for the help!