High end bikes are a bit like high end cars. More money often means a more finicky machine. An engine out of a standard Ford or Chevy can go 100,000 miles without any service besides oil changes, and maybe spark plugs (possibly a timing belt at 60,000 miles) Meanwhile a race car engine built by the same folks needs to be torn down and rebuilt every few thousand miles.
Basic utility bikes are built to go for long times without service because it's expected that their owners won't do any anyway. Better bikes are built to more precise standards and will last longer but may require more owner maintenance, but you should have done better than you did.\
It's very possible that all is in face OK, and the noise you're hearing is only dirt at the outer edge of the seal, which is OK. And it's also possible that your cleaning process is pushing dirt in causing the problem. Since you can't tell bring it to the shop, let them check it, and if the bearing is contaminated, ask them if you should change the way you clean the area.
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