That 5-second rule is a total lie and my buddy the microbiologist spilled the truth

My friend Dave, who studies bacteria at a lab, told me that even 1 second on a dirty floor picks up tons of germs and it's not about time at all. Has anyone else been quietly ignoring this whole time and still eating dropped snacks?

3 comments

3 Comments

susanb341mo ago

Tbh I've been in the same boat as you @joel_jones where I'd just brush off a chip and eat it anyway. Here's the thing though, your kitchen floor is probably way cleaner than like a sidewalk or a public restroom floor. I started keeping a little mat under my eating area that I can toss in the wash easily, so if something drops face down I know the surface is at least clean. The real trick is to just pick it up quick and inspect for hairs or crumbs sticking to it before you pop it in your mouth.

emerym361mo agoOG Member

The mat idea is smart, especially for catching crumbs before they get tracked through the house.

joel_jones1mo ago

Man I've been eating food off my floor for years and I guess I've just been building up my immune system the hard way... or maybe I'm just lucky. Dropped a slice of pizza face down on my kitchen tile last week and picked it up so fast I think it only touched the ground for half a second. Still ate it. My buddy would probably scold me but honestly ignorance was bliss. Guess I'll just keep rolling the dice until my luck runs out...