# Consequences of washing a Rubik's cube core in water



## CuberDude (May 8, 2009)

I recently just cleaned a cube with vaseline using a paper towel. But then I realized that the pieces were still rather oily, especially the core. So, I put the pieces and the core into soap and water and wash them thoroughly. After that, I rinsed and dried them and reassembled the cube. After a few days, I took apart the cube again and I noticed that there were some brown residue underneath the centre pieces and the core. Is the rivet and the spring rusting or what?


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## amostay2004 (May 8, 2009)

I always wash my core together with my cube with soap and water..it makes the cube better. Just make sure everything is totally dry before you reassemble them..

I never wash the screws and springs though, and since yours is a storebought, there is the chance that they got rusty..


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## GermanCube (May 8, 2009)

I cleaned a cube with soap and water to get all the adhesive from the old stickers away, and its better now!

I think a storebought won't get rusty, because it has rivets instead of screws, and also doesn't have springs IMO.


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## Nukoca (May 8, 2009)

GermanCube said:


> I cleaned a cube with soap and water to get all the adhesive from the old stickers away, and its better now!
> 
> I think a storebought won't get rusty, because it has rivets instead of screws, and also doesn't have springs IMO.



It does have springs. I've taken mine completely apart.


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## JTW2007 (May 8, 2009)

I wash my entire core assembly, and I have no problems whatsoever.


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## Hakan (May 8, 2009)

Look inside the edge pieces. The vaseline is scraped into the piece everytime your turn it, that's why it's gooey.

I used Q-tips to clean that part, it worked just fine.
Good luck.


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## shelley (May 8, 2009)

GermanCube said:


> I think a storebought won't get rusty, because it has rivets instead of screws, and also doesn't have springs IMO.



So rivets don't rust and storebought cubes don't have springs, eh? Well, glad that's only your *opinion* because I was totally about to start questioning reality.


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## Dene (May 8, 2009)

Yea they can rust but it shouldn't be a big deal. Just make sure it's properly dry next time you do it. Put it in the sun, or use a blow-dryer or something.


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## Lofty (May 8, 2009)

IMO this is not a spring. The magic anti-rust metal rivet got a little bent in me opening the center piece.


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## JTW2007 (May 9, 2009)

What makes that not a spring?

Spring=a spiral shaped piece of metal that applies tension to an object.
That=see spring


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## Nukoca (May 9, 2009)

Lofty said:


> IMO this is not a spring. The magic anti-rust metal rivet got a little bent in me opening the center piece.



Were you joking? :confused: Definitely a spring.


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## Lofty (May 9, 2009)

Nukoca said:


> Lofty said:
> 
> 
> > IMO this is not a spring. The magic anti-rust metal rivet got a little bent in me opening the center piece.
> ...



I use the word magic in the post, yes, I am joking. 
Very clearly the rivets are metal and there are springs.


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## i_love_hina (May 9, 2009)

The same thing happened to me when I tried to clean vaseline off my cube with water.. finally I used some clorox wipes and it did a better job of cleaning it.


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## Thieflordz5 (May 9, 2009)

i_love_hina said:


> The same thing happened to me when I tried to clean vaseline off my cube with water.. finally I used some clorox wipes and it did a better job of cleaning it.



I didn't get the inside of my Storebought core cleaned... I just cleaned off the corner/edge pieces w/ water (for re-stickering...) and put Silicone inside...
It's really smooth but not loose at all...


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## nickamir (May 3, 2012)

*Is it ok if I wash my megaminx core?*

Im gonna put dirt in my megaminx. Then I need to wash the core. Is it ok if I wash the screws and springs, dry them, and then put lubix on them to keep them from rusting?


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## BlueDevil (May 3, 2012)

nickamir said:


> Im gonna put dirt in my megaminx. Then I need to wash the core. Is it ok if I wash the screws and springs, dry them, and then put lubix on them to keep them from rusting?


 
Dry them shortly after having them washed, and make sure they are completely dry before putting them back in the core.

But why do you need to put dirt in your megaminx?


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## Stingray970 (May 3, 2012)

To grind down the internal mechanism to break it in.


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## nickamir (May 3, 2012)

Ya what stingray said and thanks


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## 42maelstrom (May 12, 2012)

If I want to try solving my cube underwater in a single breath... do you think that would do anything to damage my cube? Mine's just a Rubik's that's really well broken in. . .


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## Hunter (May 13, 2012)

That sounds like a really fun idea!


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## Noahaha (May 13, 2012)

42maelstrom said:


> If I want to try solving my cube underwater in a single breath... do you think that would do anything to damage my cube? Mine's just a Rubik's that's really well broken in. . .


 
Shouldn't be too much of a risk. I just wouldn't do it with my main cube.


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## Cheese11 (May 22, 2012)

I took my mini type C underwater. It was 100% fine and I didn't even dry it off after the 6 hours it was in the water.


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## mati1242 (Jul 30, 2012)

I have a little problem.
I washed my ZhanChi in a water(except core) with Cleaning powder and a cleaning liquid.
I dry it all out - lube the core - reassemble all - lube pieces and now It's so sluggish and slow and that I don't enjoy solving it...
It even Locking up what was rare before washing...
I disassemble it - clean with towel - put it all together - nothing better...
Before washing this ZhanChi was a beast - it was so fast - fastest cube that I have ever felt...

A member from Polish Speedsolving forum told me that Those are the effects of washing cube in water, because cubes should be cleaned dry with towel or something like that.

Anyone have this problem too ?
Any tips will be very appreciated.


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## Penguinstorm300 (Jul 30, 2012)

mati1242 said:


> I have a little problem.
> I washed my ZhanChi in a water(except core) with Cleaning powder and a cleaning liquid.
> I dry it all out - lube the core - reassemble all - lube pieces and now It's so sluggish and slow and that I don't enjoy solving it...
> It even Locking up what was rare before washing...
> ...



Same with my old black Zhanchi. I found cleaning the cube was making it worse, again, I didn't wash the core either in case it rusted. I currently use a stickerless Zhanchi, because my old one can barely cube 5mm without popping, and has a really 'gummy' feel to it. I also have this problem with ALL my other cubes (except stickerless one, as I mentioned before).

My advise would be - don't wash your cubes.


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## mati1242 (Jul 30, 2012)

Yeah - but you mean cleaning in water ?

When I was cleaning my ZhanChi on dry with towel it was all right.
Now it sucks - maybe after 1000+ solves it will back to old condition :confused:

I think I must order new ZhanChi because I don't like my GuHong v1 and WitLong...


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## Penguinstorm300 (Jul 30, 2012)

mati1242 said:


> Yeah - but you mean cleaning in water ?
> 
> When I was cleaning my ZhanChi on dry with towel it was all right.
> Now it sucks - maybe after 1000+ solves it will back to old condition :confused:
> ...



Yep, I meant cleaning with water, I'm not too sure about cleaning with a towel, since I've never tried that yet.


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## Kattenvriendin (Jul 30, 2012)

Did you guys actually take the cubies apart or?

I mean.. water gets inside the cubies, so you have to take those apart as well, otherwise upon reassembly water will mix with the lube, even though it SEEMS to have dried completely.


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## mati1242 (Jul 30, 2012)

Kattenvriendin said:


> Did you guys actually take the cubies apart or?
> 
> I mean.. water gets inside the cubies, so you have to take those apart as well, otherwise upon reassembly water will mix with the lube, even though it SEEMS to have dried completely.




Yes - I dry it all out even inside cubies.

*Penguinstorm300 *

Then what did you use to clean your cubes ? How yo clean them ?

EDIT: I solved this problem by wiping all pieces + center pieces with paper towel soaked with 95% clean alcohol.


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## Aston (Aug 5, 2012)

This may be a bit late. Whenever it is time to clean one of my cubes, I always fully disassemble it and soak the core, screws, springs, well, all of the pieces, in water. I then put them near a fan to dry. It seems to have no effect whatsoever to my cubes. Then again, after washing my cubes I usually mod them in some sort of way because they are already disassembled. But I have run into no problems.


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