Well, I am in for that, and in fact I use what you said as do not use - paper towels, but I know better to use the cheap non-lint kind. Funny enough, I am making a video right now on the same topic showing how easy it is to do that for diesels. That takes nothing away from the WS wheel cleaner though. And if you run steamers, then the WS solution is possibly the only and best option you have.
Word of cation on using the metal brushes. Make sure there are no traction tires. The brushes can tear the traction tires. One of the magazines showed one made on a board, with slots cut in track rerailers to feed cleaning cloth through.
I got mine, I like it. its simple but its built OK, the plastic is very dense and feels like fiber filed nylon, though that seems a bit overkill for strength. It seems not to bad for the cost Positives: Nice alligator clips that have smooth motion and no wobble in the hinge so they clip on nicely to N scale code 80. Molded plastic pads attached to the clips handles make them a bit more 'designed' and somewhat better than the typical ones on a cheaper multimeter. Very long, longer than I expected, 6.5 inches so it could clean any attached tender on a longer steam engine etc. The way it works, a spacer fits just inside the wheel flanges, flanges rest on conducting copper strips, wheels rest on cleaning pads, put locomotive on the cleaner and it runs forward to tabs that stop it, with a gap to not hurt the coupler, and then the wheels are spinning on the cleaning pads. One can press down a bit to help scrub off any gunk on the wheels but letting it run at a resonable speed and self clean seems to work. It seems like it's going to be really easy to make it automated. I plan to just remove the end plates with the tabs and install it at track level like a crossing. guide angles cut into the center spacer should allow trains to drive right onto it. It seems like it should work, have not actually dont it but I have a huge list of to do stuff on my layout. Might get to it this weekend. Negatives: The plastic edges are very 'crisp' I dont want to say sharp because in normal handling its fine, but I took a good chunk of knuckle skin out trying to pry one of the end caps off just to see if it was glued on or not. I think the end without the plug is glued on, it would not come off, but the skin on my finger did when my nail slipped and my knuckle ran into the edge... still not nearly as bad as the hot glue burn I got attaching some foam... Is there a medical advice section on trainboard? Best band aids etc?