How many seconds do YOU use for the "5 second rule".

[LeftyFingerPop]

I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.

Most people use the 5 second rule when they drop a piece of food on the floor. If it lays there for more than 5 seconds, you can't pick it up and eat it...you have to throw it away.

I use 10 seconds for my rule.

How many do you use?

And don't tell me "that's gross" because you all do it.

[TrogL]

1. 30

Bacteria do NOT move fast.

[Dr. Strange]

2. Three days.

After that, it's just gross.

[Ineeda]

3. depends on who's watching and how recently I've washed my floor.

[Raffi Ella]

4. What fell determines IF I'll eat it.

If it's my vitamin? Doesn't matter, I'll take it anyway. If it's a piece of cheese? I throw it away. Wet food picks up stuff, dry doesn't- well, I mean you know, not so much stuff.

[av8rdave]

5. I always understood it was a 3 second rule, unless you're wearing mirrored sunglasses

Oops...wrong rule. Never mind.

[JonLP24]

6. 0.2 seconds

That's about how fast you have to pick it up before bacteria travels there. My info may be a little off but I do know you have quicker then 5 seconds. :D

[LeftyFingerPop]

8. I don't worry about bacteria, but this time of year is tough because

my monkey is shedding. You ever drop a piece of large curd cottage cheese into a ball of monkey fur?

[Kali]

32. ...

:spray:


got me

[brendan120678]

7. If it looks dirty...

and can't be washed off, throw it away.

If you can't see anything on it, and it can be washed off - run some water over it and you're good.
If you can't see anything on it, and it can not be washed off - it's a judgment call. I'll usually pick it up and eat it still.

[hobbit709]

9. It takes longer than 5 seconds for me to bend down to pick it up.

If I move too fast bending over my back tells me about it in no uncertain terms.

[graywarrior]

10. You're supposed to kiss it and offer it up to God who blesses it

THEN you can eat it regardless if you dug it out of the trash or it's been on the floor for a week.

[LeftyFingerPop]

11. THIS is why I come to DU. Thank you.

[graywarrior]

14. Happy eating!

[LeftyFingerPop]

18. *burp*

[graywarrior]

23. Floor Beans are great!

[LeftyFingerPop]

24. I always get them mixed up with the mouse droppings.

[graywarrior]

25. Doesn't matter

[rug]

12. I have a 60 second rule.

But that's for sex.

[LeftyFingerPop]

16. There you go bragging again.

[Tobin S.]

13. I once ate a Cheerio that had been behind my toaster on the cabinet

for god knows how long. It was chewy.

[Deep13]

15. 0.0 seconds. The transfer of germs is instant. nt

[LeftyFingerPop]

17. That's an urban legend.

[Deep13]

19. Dude, the 3 second rule is an urban legend unlike...

...the bread-landing-peanut-butter-side-down thing, which is absolute fact.

[LeftyFingerPop]

20. Serious question...

Is that peanut butter thing always true? I'm sure it has been tested...

[Deep13]

21. My guess is it goes sticky-side down more often than not.

Bread is big for its size and has a lot of air resistence. PB is pretty dense. I wonder if Mythbusters ever tested it.

[LeftyFingerPop]

22. Good question...

Maybe we should test it.

[Capn Sunshine]

26. In my restaurant, I should use a rule?

You really want that?

[tonekat]

27. Depends on what you drop

I mean, heck, if it's a slice of Iberico ham, I'm gonna eat it!

If it's a raw mushroom, it's tossed.

[Pharlo]

28. Hahahaha

"ON the floor" :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

My total retrieval time is the fraction of a second between the drop and a dogs mouth.

To these animals, frisbee and catch are NOT games, they are preparatory practice for aerial food retrieval. IF food manages to elude the snapping jaws of my kitchen piranhas, and get to the floor, it becomes the object of pursuit in a canine scramble.

Dropped food is forgotten - it no longer exists. It has no five second life expectancy. It has no life expectancy at all. RIP.

[hunter]

39. That's my house too!

Any handling of food results in the instant appearance of dogs. Even if it is something they don't like and spit out they'll catch it for the practice.

[SPKrazy]

29. overnight

[bluedigger]

30. If it sticks, it stays.

[BlueJazz]

31. I won't even eat something if it falls on the table. If it hits the floor, it's..

..going to trash City.

[marzipanni]

33. This girl is so FAST our five second rule became moot...

she catches things before they hit the ground
On occasion she beats the drop.

[pengillian101]

35. Now, how cute is that pic? n/t

[proteus_lives]

34. Depends. Carpet or bare floor?

Makes a lot of difference.

[kentauros]

36. Zero.

Considering that my cat is not always the cleanest cat in "knowing" how to use a catbox, and that I have seen just how disgusting are the floors of most mens rooms, once the food is on the floor, it's not going in my mouth.

[Kat45]

37. Zero.

I have OCD.

[kedrys]

38. 5, unless there's a cat staring and the item falls on the carpet

In that case, it's most likely covered with cat fuzz and the cat(s) can have it.

[ismnotwasm]

40. 3 seconds

And I pick off any cat hair.