So, I know the title makes the answer seem obvious, but it’s something I’m actually struggling with.

My gym, like most, has those oddly-small white towels available for members.  When I first joined my gym (standard ok-and-cheap YMCA) I would always take two towels - one for sweat, and one for wiping down the equipment.  I have always been pretty fastidious about wiping down the machines after use.  The gym also has little spray bottles of cleaning solution scattered around to use when wiping off equipment after use, which I always used.

Then, a few months ago, the gym instituted a one-towel-per-person policy.  So, now I have the choice of:

- wiping sweat off on the towel, but then no towel for equipment wiping
- using the towel for wiping the equipment and not having a sweat towel unless I bring my own separately, or;
- what most people seem to do, which is use the same towel for both sweat and wiping, which...seems disgusting.  I do t want cleaning solution on my face, and I wouldn’t want to wipe down equipment with a sweaty towel.

I asked the front desk at one point how I should wipe down the equipment if we only got one towel, and was told there were paper towels in the fitness area to use when wiping the machines.  However, I looked pretty thoroughly, and have never seen paper towels available nor have I ever seen anyone using one to wipe down equipment.  

The gym does have attendants who come around every ten or twenty minutes and wipe down the machines not in use...but, if someone gets on a machine right after you, it likely hasn’t been wiped unless the person using it has wiped it.  But, they do get cleaned off periodically.  Possibly also relevant - knowing I’m not wiping, I touch the machine (usually a treadmill or stairclimber)as little as possible.  I’ll only use the touchscreen and speed buttons, don’t touch the handles, etc.  I’m also not a big sweater, if that makes a difference.

Faced with this dilemma, I’ve pretty much stopped wiping down machines after using them, other than to swipe away any obvious moisture with the provided towel.  But, I feel like a complete criminal every time.  So, AITA? Should I give in and dual-purpose my single towel as a sweat and cleaning rag, am I obligated to bring a personal towel (something I also never see anyone doing at the gym, but I guess it could solve the issue)...or can I get away with not wiping?  