Updated September 2026
Use a lubricant made for speed cubes, never WD-40 or a household oil, and if you only buy one bottle, start with Martian (our best-seller) or Galaxy (our middle-ground pick for anyone unsure where to start). Pull the layers apart, add a few drops where the pieces touch, turn the cube to spread it, and re-lube whenever the cube starts to feel dry or scratchy.
SpeedCubeShop was founded in 2009 as America's first speed cube store, and every lube in this guide is from our own line.
What speed cube lube is and why it matters
Speed cube lube is a lubricant (a substance that reduces friction between moving parts) made specifically for cube plastic. It does four jobs:
- Extends the life of a cube by reducing friction where the pieces rub against each other inside
- Speeds a cube up or slows it down
- Changes the feel, from gummy to smooth
- Reduces internal spring noise and dampens turning sound
Skipping it has a cost. Keep solving on a dry cube and the extra friction wears down the plastic, building up gunk and plastic shavings that hurt the turning feel. If you wouldn't run your car's engine without oil, don't run your speed cube dry.
Many new cubes also feel sandy (dry and scratchy, like two sheets of paper rubbing together) out of the box. A layer of lube between the pieces fixes that.
The kinds of speed cube lube
Lubricants fall into three families: water-based, silicone-based, and oil-based. Speed cube lubes are almost always the first two. They also differ in viscosity (how much a liquid resists flowing; honey has a higher viscosity than water). Higher-viscosity lube slows a cube down and adds control. Lower-viscosity lube speeds it up.
Silicone-based lube
Most modern cube lubes are silicone-based, with other ingredients added to change their feel. Silicone lasts, feels smooth, and suits all-around use, though too much can feel slightly sticky. Lunar is our fastest silicone-based lube.
Water-based lube
Water-based lube speeds a cube up, but most water-based lubes dry out quickly and leave a chalky mess inside. Stardust, our water-based lube, hardens as it dries instead. Keep any water-based lube off screws and springs to avoid rust.
Weighted silicone lube
Our Speed Lube comes in numbered weights, each a different viscosity. The higher the number, the thicker the lube and the more controllable the feel. We recommend it once you're comfortable fully taking a cube apart and rebuilding it. Until then, our dropper-bottle Cosmic lubes (Martian, Lunar, Galaxy, Nebula, and others) are far easier to apply.
Household oils and sprays
Skip them. Early cubers used WD-40 and Vaseline, which degraded the plastic and had to be cleaned out after a couple of days. Anything not designed for plastic-to-plastic contact, olive oil included, can damage the cube.
How to lube a speed cube, step by step
You need your lube and a paper towel for any drips on the outside of the cube.
- Clean the cube first. Remove old lube and debris with a soft cloth or brush. Dirt and dust hurt performance even on a freshly lubed cube.
- Open up the layers. Pull the layers apart far enough to reach the inside. A full teardown is optional with a dropper lube, and only worth doing once you're comfortable reassembling a cube.
- Add a few drops where the pieces touch. Aim for the sides of the pieces and the surfaces where layers slide against each other. Start with 4 to 6 drops; our product pages recommend 6 for most cases. Adding more later is easy. Removing extra means cleaning the cube out again.
- Lube the core (optional). The core, sometimes called the hardware, is the center mechanism that holds the cube together. On a cube with a screw and spring, pop off a center cap, unscrew the screw, and put a couple of drops on the spring and screw, keeping lube off the threads. Skip water-based lube here. Screw it back in, check the tension (how tightly the layers are held together), and repeat on the other five sides.
- Break it in. Do several solves so the lube spreads evenly. Wipe any lube off the outside with your paper towel.
MagLev and adjustable-core cubes
A MagLev cube replaces the core springs with repelling magnets, so step 4 doesn't apply the way it does on a spring cube. Some cubes, like the X-Man Tornado V3, have complex customizable cores that can be damaged if you try to lube them. On these cubes, lube the pieces and leave the core alone.
Rather skip the process? On cube pages where it's offered, add Pro Tune and we lubricate the pieces and core and dial in the core settings before the cube ships (about 1 to 2 extra business days).
How often to lube a speed cube
The schedule depends on how much you solve:
- Casual cuber (a few sessions a week): about once a month
- Daily practice: every 2 weeks
- Competition prep: weekly, and again a few days before the event so you have time to test the feel
Your cube will also tell you. If it feels scratchy or dry, turns slower, or the pieces drag against each other, it's time. Clean it before you re-lube.
Choosing a lube by feel
Four terms cover most lube talk:
- Fast: makes turning faster
- Control: slightly slows a cube to a more manageable speed, useful since most cubes today are very fast out of the box
- Gummy: a soft turning feel with more substance behind each turn
- Heavy: thicker, usually smoother turning
For speed
Lunar, Stardust, and Comet sit at the top of our speed ratings. The Lightspeed Lube Bundle pairs Stardust's lightweight speed with Lunar's soft silicone feel. Mix Lunar with Martian if you want fast with a little more control.
For control
Cosmos gives an extremely controllable feel without adding gumminess. Nebula is controllable with a gummy feel, and mixing Nebula with Martian keeps turns steady while staying smooth. The Balance Lube Bundle pairs Comet and Cosmos, which match on heaviness and gumminess but split on speed (Comet fast, Cosmos controllable), so you can adjust the ratio to taste.
For a balanced feel
Martian is fast, moderately controllable, and soft. Galaxy is quick, controllable, and smooth. Both are neutral lubes that generally improve a cube's sound and turning feel.
For a quieter cube
This one is for parents. High-viscosity lube dampens the plastic-on-plastic clacking inside a cube. Nebula and heavier Speed Lube weights, such as Weight 5, are our picks.
Every lube in our line mixes with the others. Not sure what you like yet? The Cosmic Lube Sampler includes Lunar, Martian, Galaxy, and Nebula. The Ultimate Lube Bundle adds Comet, Cosmos, and Stardust for seven in total.
Best lube for GAN cubes
For a GAN cube, start with Martian, Lunar, or Stardust, alone or mixed. Martian is fast and soft with some control. Lunar is our fastest silicone-based lube. Stardust adds speed without changing the cube's natural feel, and mixing it with Lunar gives you maximum speed.
Recent GAN flagships, including the GAN 17 MagDrive, GAN 16 Max, GAN V100, and GAN 12 MagLev, use MagLev cores, so lube the pieces and leave the core alone. Start with about six drops where the pieces touch, then do several solves to work the lube in.
SpeedCubeShop lube chart
Fast, Control, and Gummy scores are the ratings shown on each product page (higher means more).
| Lube | What it does | Fast | Control | Gummy | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lunar | Our fastest silicone-based lube; light, fast, soft feel | 10 | 1 | 2 | All puzzles, especially big cubes |
| Stardust | Water-based; adds speed without changing a cube's natural feel; hardens as it dries | 10 | 0 | 0 | All puzzles |
| Comet | Fast, lasting speed without added gumminess | 10 | 3 | 0 | All puzzles |
| Martian | Our best-seller; fast, moderately controllable, soft | 9 | 3 | 5 | All puzzles, especially big cubes |
| Galaxy | Quick, controllable, smooth; a middle ground if you're unsure where to start | 8 | 6 | 7 | 2x2 to 5x5, Megaminx, Pyraminx, Skewb, Square-1 |
| Soup Lube (Ramen Scented) | Smooth, controllable turning with a light ramen scent that fades as it dries | 6 | 5 | 6 | 2x2 to 5x5, Megaminx, Pyraminx, Skewb, Square-1 |
| Nebula | Controllable with a gummy feel | 7 | 8 | 10 | 2x2, 3x3, Pyraminx, Skewb, Square-1 |
| Cosmos | Extremely controllable without added gumminess | 5 | 10 | 0 | 2x2 to 5x5, Megaminx, Pyraminx, Skewb, Square-1 |
| Speed Lube (Weights 1, 3, 5) | Weighted silicone; higher weight is thicker and more controllable; for experienced cubers | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Varies by weight |
Speed cube lube FAQ
How often should you lube a speed cube?
Once a month for casual solving, every 2 weeks for daily practice, and weekly before a competition. Re-lube sooner if it feels dry or slow.
Can you use WD-40, Vaseline, or cooking oil on a speed cube?
No. WD-40 can damage cube plastic, and household products like olive oil aren't designed for plastic-to-plastic contact. Use a lube made for speed cubes.
Do new speed cubes come pre-lubed?
Some cubes come with a thin layer of factory oil that often leaks out and wears off within hours of use. We ship cubes factory-sealed unless you add Pro Tune, where we lubricate and tune the cube before it ships.
How much lube should I use?
Start with 4 to 6 drops at the contact points between pieces; our product pages recommend 6 for most cases. Adding more is easier than removing extra.
Can you mix speed cube lubes?
Yes. Try Stardust with Lunar for maximum speed or Nebula with Martian for control.
What is the best lube for a GAN cube?
We recommend Martian, Lunar, or Stardust for GAN cubes, alone or mixed. Start with about six drops, then do several solves to work the lube in.
Is speed cube lube safe for kids?
Our lubes are non-toxic and safe for skin, but they aren't meant to be swallowed. If lube gets in someone's eyes, flush with lukewarm water for 30 minutes and contact a doctor if needed.
Which lube makes a speed cube quieter?
A high-viscosity lube such as Nebula or a heavier Speed Lube weight. Thicker lube adds resistance inside the cube and dampens the clacking.
The short version
Clean the cube, add a few drops of a speed cube lube, turn it in, and repeat when it feels dry. For one bottle, pick Martian or Galaxy. For more speed, Lunar or Stardust. For more control, Cosmos or Nebula. Shop all speed cube lube.
