Gym hygiene controversy

Long story short, go to a great gym, great facilities, good community - historically the gym has put out paper towel and a spray bottle to clean down equipment after you use it. Recently, they have changed to actual small towels that live in a bucket. So the idea is that you collect this towel from the bucket, wipe down the machine and put it back in the bucket. No one seems to know when they get switched out. I've certainly never observed them being switched out.

The general consensus is that this is gross and unhygienic. I personally refuse to touch them.

A lot of people I have talked to have complained, but they refuse to change.

Am I (and people I talk to) overreacting? It seems like it's just asking for someone to catch something or a staph infection. Interested in people's views outside of my little gym community. And is having something to wipe down equipment (other than your own towel) a common thing?