Just realised this comment was a total waste of time as McDonald's do use paper for this purpose, because (as you rightly say) they take this shit seriously.

Not in the UK they don't. Frankly I've always suspected that Regulation in the US generally is fully of absolute hysterical and contradictory nonsense, as a result of shadowy lobbyists and a reactionary and ill-informed population.

Yes. Use heat and detergents. Have loads of rags, put a wash on once or twice a day. You are saying that's more enviromental impact than low-grade unbleached paper, but you seem to be forgetting about an entire logistically supply chain that is dedicated to getting you paper (and I know exactly how much paper towels you need, because it's our last resort). Every day. Forever. Because you're so scared of cross-contamination from using a rag that's soaked in anti-bacterial cleaner. The odds of that are minicule if you just follow procedure, changing less than every 15 minutes.

Sustainable practices matter. It's as simple as that. Energy, like that required from a washing machine, is much better for your economy of scale than loads of paper.