Inside most volume and balance potentiometers, is a strip of conductive plastic along which slides a contact which varies the voltage of the signal in proportion to its position along the plastic strip. Only use plain contact cleaner on pots, or maybe caig's special pot cleaner (with residue lubricant), not Caig Gold. It will cause problems.
There are some pots made with all carbon contacts, I dunno how those like Gold, probably just fine. I just use radio shack contact cleaner in a spray can, no residue.