Fixing a Tight Lens Hood

Ever get a lens hood that is either too tight or it sticks? I've had two such situations. One lens hood got a bit sticky after a lot of use at the beach--I think some sand got into the hood groove and might've scuffed it a bit so it no longer engages smoothly. Another time I just got a new lens that had a hood that was just too tight for my liking.

Anyway, what I discovered fixed both was to put a dab of some DVD disk scratch remover compound on the hood mounting grooves. Then mount the hood and slide it back and forth several times to let the compound do its work. I'm not sure if it's the mild abrasives working or the fact that it contains some silicone and wax--maybe some of both.

Then wipe the excess off of the hood and the lens and you're done. At least in my case, the hood engaged smoothly on the lens after this treatment.

Perhaps someone knows of some similar stuff that works just as well. Eg., perhaps soft-scrub soap would work. I just happened to have this stuff so I gave it a try and it worked great.