Most of us also realized that the five second rule was more of a guideline than a rule. Guideline or rule, the topic was actually the subject of a research study conducted at San Diego State University that was co-funded by Clorox. The researchers wanted to determine how long the "food on the floor" rule was applicable. Using carrots, researchers dropped the food on various surfaces such as countertops, kitchen sinks, floor carpet and tables. None of the surfaces could keep food clean for a full 5 seconds. Countertop surfaces actually fared worse than a carpet according to a Science 2.0
A CBS News
report states the study also found that 65 percent of parents said they had used the five second rule in their homes.
Amy Rolph, a Seattlepi
columnist, jokingly stated:
"Turns out, the five-second rule is something your parents invented because they were too lazy to get you new Cheerios after you dumped them on the floor."