Ban that "rule"!

By PeeFlavouredFloss - This FML is from back in 2013 but it's good stuff - Canada - Montreal

Today, I had to explain to my husband that the 5-second rule doesn't apply if you drop the floss into the toilet. FML
I agree, your life sucks 38 867
You deserved it 3 249

Same thing different taste

Top comments

Schizomaniac 24

Yeah, you're definitely right. As a microbiology student, I can tell you that aquatic bacteria are generally more badass than those that thrive on hard surfaces. Ground bacteria usually abide by the 5 second rule because they respect the law, but aquatic species are outlaws. They don't give a ****. I actually saw "**** the police" tattooed on an aquatic bacterium's head one time. You don't mess with them.

It would explain the yellow stains on his teeth.

Comments

It would explain the yellow stains on his teeth.

Pfft 5 second rule applies to anything in life, Germs clearly hover around the dropped item for 5 seconds THEN engross it. It's a fact guys.

8313girl 28

That sounds like one of those Jeff Foxworthy "You know you're a redneck if …"

The five second rule does not apply to a lot of things, and this is definitely one of them.

Trix_Disorder 20

The five second "rule" doesn't apply at all. Anyone who takes a basic biology course (or has some common sense, maybe) would know that. It's just one of those superstitions that people propagate and believe. If you want to eat food off the floor, just do it. You don't have to justify it to yourself.

Agreed, I would have expected him to follow the "if a dog can do it so can I" philosophy.

But the Ten Second Rule does, right? I saw "Waiting". I think it's a law or something……

23, chemistry would also do. There's been a research about that situation and it is said that if the food touched the floor for an insanely small period of time, the bacteria wouldn't have time to touch the food (with a lot of atoms and molecules concepts in the middle of the explanation).

technically there is no 5 second rule. if you watch Vsauce he explains it. in reality, its like a 0.00000001 second rule before bacteria and germs go on it

You are partially incorrect. The amount of time your referring to is so small that it is irrelevant and it also depends on very specific molecular structures of the food and floor to be able to meet the criteria

then000bster 16

@50 they already did an episode on that. It took apparently quite a bit more than five seconds to become covered with enough bacteria to be thought as unsafe. If I remember correctly it took around 1-2minutes.

cajekraze 7

@54 I'm pretty sure that's false. check it out http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/five-second-rule-minimyth.htm

For anyone too lazy to watch the video, the experiment found significant bacteria on both 2 and 6 second samples, with a size differential too small to notice.

Well now you no it's not *insert brown colored food* in his teeth.

4, *know, and you certainly live up to your name :)

Technically there is no such thing as an any second rule, vsauce said so! :P

Vsauce is awesome! Mythbusters also did an episode on the 5 second rule and proved likewise.

Yep, bacteria will get on food (or in this case, floss) almost immediately after it makes contact with the bacteria-infected area. i honestly hope your husband - or you, for that matter - didn't use the floss, OP. No amount of tooth brushing/flossing/whatever else could remove the thought of cleaning one's teeth with floss that fell into the toilet. FYL.

Schizomaniac 24

Yeah, you're definitely right. As a microbiology student, I can tell you that aquatic bacteria are generally more badass than those that thrive on hard surfaces. Ground bacteria usually abide by the 5 second rule because they respect the law, but aquatic species are outlaws. They don't give a ****. I actually saw "**** the police" tattooed on an aquatic bacterium's head one time. You don't mess with them.

Well I definitely want what ever it is you been taking :D

Yeahh..Just don't do anything oral with him O_o

just see it as training his immune system

Mythbusters did an episode on the five second rule. Doesn't work at all. But FYL for your husband doing stuff like that.

CharresBarkrey 15

Who actually believed the "five second rule" reduced bacteria in the first place? ******* idiots.

5 second rule doesn't exist?? how am I not dead yet! O.O honestly, it's probably not the greatest thing for your health to eat food that's been dropped on the floor, but it's definitely not going to kill you. and besides, nobody has time to make another sandwich after their first one fell on the floor!

Wait didn't you hear it takes 1-2 minutes for bacteria to infest food enough to be hazardous

I don't think the five seconds rule applies to anything that is supposed to go into one's mouth. That just gives a person an excuse to pick up the stuff that was dropped and eat it, or simply making the person feels better for doing so.