Popular among kids, including some adults, is the five second rule. The rule claims that dropping food on the floor is fine if it is picked up within five seconds. While this may seem gross and harmless, the reality is that it can cause sickness and potentially food poisoning.

Though it may seem ridiculous, serious scientific studies have been done on this rule. Many aspects have been analyzed, including the amount of germs that wind up on the surface, along with the time it takes to move from the floor to the food. The following is a list of their findings.

The most important element associated with the five second rule is the cleanliness of the floor. Though it may look dirty, that does mean it will automatically have dangerous bacteria, and dirt alone will not cause illness. Tests have shown that public floors are in some cases fairly clean, but dirt can leave sickness causing bacteria behind that survives for over a day.

Time is important in relation to germs on food. A longer period of time in an unclean environment yields more germs than a shorter amount of time. This is not to say that a few seconds of contact is safe. A huge amount of bacteria can move to your food, almost instantly, upon contact. A relatively small number of bacteria are needed to make you ill, so the best decision is to just throw the food away.

Another determining factor is the type of food and the kind of surface it falls upon. Dry food, such as a potato chip, falling on a smooth surface, for example hardwood, will most likely not receive a lot of bacteria. Sticky foods and soft surfaces, like carpet, increase the likelihood of illness.

Cleaning and washing your floor does not guarantee that it is any safer if food should land on it. Although dirt may be non-existent, the chemical from the cleaning supplies still linger. Dish detergents are made so that they do not contain substances that are harmful for humans. In most cases, this standard does not apply to regular cleaners, which means ingestion can lead to serious sickness.

If concerned about safety, the best option is to throw away food that reaches the floor. Teach your kids about the health risks of the five second rule, and do not allow it to be practiced within your house.