In the old days, Bel Ray sold fork oil that said, "seal-swell" on the label. It turned out thsi was just alcohol, a small amount, in the oil. When added to an old, leaky fork it would tend to soften the seals and often it would stop leaks.
The same idea works with this tool. Either a purchased one or home made. If you dip this tool in the alcohol between wipes, it does an amazing job.