The Five Second Rule – Fact or Fiction? [POLL]

Did you know that more than half of Americans use the 'Five Second Rule' in their homes? If you're not familiar with this rule, it is the belief that if food is dropped on the floor, it is still safe for consumption if picked up within five seconds of dropping it. In other words, many people hold to the idea that germs wait before jumping on board their eats. But is this fact or fiction? 

While I have my own reservations about this rule (see my blog), it seems that Clorox and San Diego State University wanted to test the theory behind it.

According to CBS News, researchers took baby carrots and placed them all over the place, on all types of surfaces for five seconds or less and then compared those with one kept separate to maintain a baseline.

Did the test carrots come back germ free? Guess again. The germs had indeed climbed on board instead of waiting the five seconds that they were supposed to. Darn those impatient germs!

The scary thing is that researchers discovered that countertops are the dirtiest places in the home, with carpet and tile flooring coming in second and third place.

This is one of the reasons that the Center for Disease Control recommends thoroughly cleaning counters and cutting boards frequently to avoid contaminating food with these pesky germs.

So next time you drop that French fry or potato chip on the floor, leave it behind as a lost cause. The germs already staked their claim.