TIL the '5 Second Rule' has some validity : Bacteria transfer is time dependent, with carpet transferring just 1% and tile 70%

[u/Fun_Break_334]

https://www.henryford.com/blog/2022/04/the-5-second-rule

[u/Responsible_Page1108]

the mythbusters covered this!! it's also dependent on the moisture of the item you've dropped and/or the surface you've dropped it on! e.g. a wet floor is def going to transfer more bacteria than a dry one