It's neater in its application, not neater at its result. As you (and the article) mention, there's no way I'd trust wiping off with toilet paper if I got some paint on my hands, even though it's simpler than washing.
While I don't completely disagree with the argument, I do think it is worth pointing out that your hands touch other people. People often live with sweaty armpits, which is obviously a lesser version of the problem, but I think still worth considering: we put up with things that go in covered, mostly hidden places.
Maybe I'm a bit extra in this, but I do have a mental bit for how clean my hands are. If I've just washed them, they're "clean" (clean enough to put in my mouth). If I've touched anything, or any person's hands, they aren't.
