Thursday, February 4, 2010

What? The 5 Second Rule May Be A Myth?? And A Giveaway Too?!



As parents we are all familiar with the 5 second rule. This is of course the rule that declares you have 5 seconds as soon as the piece of food, sippy cup, or paci falls on the floor that it can be picked up in placed in the mouth just as if it hadn't fallen on the floor in the first place. Some of us may even try to be apologetic and actually wipe off the item before we give it back. And of course we think that the 5 second rule only is good at home and nowhere else. It's like we know that our floors are cleaner. At some point or another....or habitually for that matter, I think we're all guilty of following the rule.

I was invited to participate in a web conference for Clorox with comedian and Daily Show correspondent, Samantha Bee. We discussed the 5 second rule via video & twitter. You may have seen my tweets in regards to this. Anyways, I was stoked to be able to be in on it. I felt that this would be a great opportunity to come together with other moms (including a celebrity mom of 2) and share our quirkiness about letting our kids eat off the floor helping our kids build strong immune systems.

Well, Samantha Bee greeted us on the chat and dropped a bomb shell. She shared with us that Clorox and San Diego State University found that the 5 second rule was a myth! It's kind of like watching that movie Titanic. You know what the ending is going to be but you hold out hope that something might change. Yeah....no. It doesn't. The study actually showed that there is no grace period. If it goes on the floor it instantly picks up the germs. That doesn't matter if you're at home or at the store. Bummer.

I did appreciate that Samantha Bee was very real. She shared with us that she too was guilty of following the 5 second rule. She did say though, after reading the Clorox study she has been making a conscious effort not to follow the 5 second rule. Translated that means, not every time but most of the time so don't be too hard on yourself if this requires a transition. She also shared with us though some tips she learned & had been using from http://www.simpleandsurprising.com/ . This website shows that bleach can be used to disinfect surfaces or sippy cups/other items that fall on the floor. Sooooo, if you're not "conscious" enough to stop the 5 second rule from being observed, you'll know how clean that surface is.



GIVEAWAY

Do you have any funny 5-second rule stories, photos, or videos? Do you follow the 5-second rule? Leave a comment for me and tell me your tales, one lucky commenter will win a Clorox Gift pack valued at $20 with a variety of Clorox Products. This contest ends 2/10




Want a chance to win another prize?


Tweet @Clorox with the item you use the 5-second rule with the most and you will have the chance to win a $50 Visa gift card. Use #smpl&surprising in your tweet!

16 comments:

tonya said...

Only at home do I follow the 5 second rule, it goes out the door once we leave home! I enjoyed your blog! Please feel free to visit ours
http://cuzinlogic.wordpress.com

Snowflake07 said...

I break the 5 second rule (at home, never out) all the time! It drives me nuts...seems at least once a week I drop my allergy pill in the floor. That stupid pill is tiny and odd shaped and expensive! I feel like I have to plop it in my mouth, or lose the $ it's worth. Maybe I should just mop more and forget about it, or maybe I should stop taking my vitamins first thing in the morning before my coordination kicks in. :-)

Jennifer H said...

No way, can't do it! I'm a bit ocd and that just doesn't fly w/me. LOL But Hubby does and it grosses me out. Jenprincess88 at aol dot com

Anonymous said...

My husband tries to follow the 5 second rule with my 3 1/2 year olds. He will pick one of their sippies off of the floor and try to give it back to them. The boys will say, "Daddy you have to (sani)tize!" (Sani)tize was one of my twins second word ever spoken. :)

denise_22315 at yahoo dot com

Brandy said...

Yeah. So my husband seems to think the 5 second rule is a way of life. It's pretty fun. Considering I'm such a clean fanatic, I don't think it's acceptable! I refuse to eat anything that has fallen on the table, no less the floor!

--Brandy

fosterbrandy(at)msn(dot)com

coriwestphal said...

I gotta agree with some of the other bloggers. The 5 second rule ONLY applies to your own home. It may not be a lot cleaner but at least it's your own filth! LOL My 5 second rule is generally "If there's no dirt, it won't hurt!". If you pick it up off the floor and it looks clean, you'll be fine!

Tamara B. said...

In our house there is no such thing as the 5 second rule because our dog Buddy snaps it up withing 1second.
tamben7996(at)aol(dot)com

Linda Kish said...

No time for a 5 second rule with 7 dogs just waiting for the chance to grab anything that falls.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Cheryl said...

Yes, I have been known to use the 5 sec. rule often. Not outside the home, of course. I am a diabetic and I take loads of meds. I am all thumbs, so I drop pills left and right. There is no way I can afford to just chunk them. I just pick them up, dust them off and swallow them down.

BBPartyGirl said...

At my house w/ two little ones we always jokingly follow the 5 second rule. My 2 yr old doesnt mind if something has dirt on it it goes back to her mouth. I know its gross but sometimes they are quicker than you can get to them. I also go by the saying "God made dirt, dirt won't hurt!" Gotta pick your battles!

Julie said...

No, I usually don't follow the 5 second rule-I don't like anything on the floors etcl]

aunteegem@yahoo.com

One Frugal Girl said...

I don't follow the 5 second rule. I'm a bit crazy about germs :-)

onemorebaby said...

5 second rule! Ha! We use the "less than one second...", a little ocd here too!

Mami2jcn said...

I'm kind of a germaphobe so I don't follow the 5 second rule.

mami2jcn at gmail dot com

GabbyLowe said...

I've never followeed the 5 second rule-i'm too much of a clean freak.

timmiedeluca@comcast.net

twifanheather said...
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