Holy crap the replies here are great.
1) Oil tends to break down rubber (if they are rubber) over time so as much as I love the smell of olive oil wafting from my levers, I might give that a pass.
2) I tried using the force but my midichlorian count must be too low.
3) Soap seems like a viable backup plan, hopefully they eventually dry out and stop slipping (or is there a gooey muck left under them?).
4) I concur. Only the wife gets to put a rubber on my ball end. I don't care how many others go this route. Not my cup of tea.

5) I do have a ball inflation needle and this sounds like it might be a bit tricky at first, but not adding other substances that might cause them to slip/smell/strike me down with their hate/let a Honda tech mess with my lever, seems the best course of action.
If you don't hear from me in three days, I have impaled myself with the needle and bled out on the garage floor while my dogs repeatedly dropped a ball on me trying to get me to play. If so, expect a "for sale" post by my wife shortly thereafter.