What Would You Do #3: Does The 5 Second Rule Apply To Hotel Room Floors?

What Would You Do #3: Does The 5 Second Rule Apply To Hotel Room Floors?

Welcome to the third episode of What Would You Do! I know it’s only the 3rd post in the mini series so far but I’m having heaps of fun coming up with interesting scenarios for you and enjoying your response to each scenario. I’m going to have to come up with tougher ones though. You folks are getting off easy! πŸ˜›

Let’s see how you answer today’s scenario. Today, it’s putting the 5 second rule to the test.

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Today’s Scenario:

What Would You Do #3: Does The 5 Second Rule Apply To Hotel Room Floors?

Β© Parrus | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

You’re in town for an important business appointment. You’re in your hotel room getting ready to head out for that all important meeting and you’re putting your makeup on. You’re in the middle of applying a gel liner on your lashline when a clumsy moment happens, and all of a sudden, you dropped your makeup brush on the floor. Since you’re traveling, you only have a limited amount of makeup brushes with you. It’s the only eyeliner brush you have with you at the moment. The rest of the brushes that you have are face brushes and a fluffy eyeshadow brush.

Worst of all, you don’t even know if the hotel room floor is clean!

What would you do?

A. Five second rule! Pick it up, brush it off, and continue using it to complete the lashline.
B. Quickly wash it, dab it dry, dry it off with a hairdryer (if there’s one), and in the end turn up late for your appointment.
C. Leave it. Surely people won’t notice you only have eyeliner on one eye?
D. None of the above. Your choice. What would YOU do?

My answer:

Oooh this is a toughie. I say that because it happened to me once. I’ll be honest; I did A. I utilised the 5-second rule. I was rushing for time and didn’t even enough time to wash it and start again. Nor can I go out with just eyeliner on one eye because I had the cat-eye-flick thing going on; it’s really obvious when it’s just on one eye! It’s not the best thing to do so I justified by saying “it was on the floor for less than 5 seconds”. πŸ˜›

After that incident, I smartened up and now I always carry a small, decanted bottle of makeup brush cleaner with me whenever I’m traveling. The alcohol would zap the pesky germs and it dries quick enough for me to reuse the brush.

What about you? What would you do?

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37 comments… add one
  1. Elin Maria

    I think I would use the 5 second rule…
    Elin Maria recently posted..Hand Creams and moisturizersMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Haha high five! πŸ˜›

  2. kerker

    B. Quickly wash it – I reckon this is what I would do. I have slight ocd when it comes to germs lol
    kerker recently posted..Salon MelbourneMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Hahaha what if it doesn’t dry in time?? One eyed eyeliner? πŸ˜›

  3. Karen C

    I don’t even think I’d give it a second thought and would simply pick it up and keep using it!
    Pretty certain they do a quick vac after each guest – but not under the bed – so I’d be questioning using the brush if it rolled under the bed!

    I’m more paranoid about other things in hotel rooms – don’t get me started!

    1. Tine

      My auntie actually has a black light that she carries around with her whenever she travels and stays at hotels. The horror stories she tells me about what is unseen with the naked eye … can’t even fit this comment box! :O

  4. Sue

    Definitely A, most likely with the assumption that they do clean up the room before they allow other guests to enter. Now, I have to agree with Karen C on the rolling under the bed. If it does, I think… that’s it.. haha

    I’ve shifted beds in hotel rooms before and it’s yucky! So, definitely no go if it went under bed.

    1. Tine

      What goes under the bed, stays under the bed! πŸ˜›

      1. Sue

        I agree! πŸ˜›

  5. Norlin

    Eek!!! Tough one! I’d do the 5 second rule then try not to think about it or else I’d go bonkers!
    Norlin recently posted..The White TeeMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Hahaha me too! Don’t think about it, don’t think about it πŸ˜›

  6. Jessica

    On the top of my head I would rather go for A. I’m more paranoid about being late for the meeting than germs. Then again, it depends on what kind of star hotel it is. If its a 5-4 star hotel, they I won’t really question at all but if it is a hostel, 1 star hotel or so i would probably think twice about it.

    1. Tine

      You’d be surprised at how dirty 5 star hotels can be. My aunt has a black light that she brings with her to hotels on holidays (sucker for punishment, I tell ya) and she told me that a few luxurious hotels she’s been to are so dirty, it put her off staying there! It’s just what we cannot see.
      Then again, I guess my own home isn’t much better (can’t eliminate ALL germs). If I dropped my brush on the floor, I’d still pick it up and use it πŸ˜›

  7. Jessica W

    I would go with option A, unless if I see visible dirt. In my opinion, the shape of the brush handle would stand on it’s own (on the side actually) so the brush tip wouldn’t be affected. But of course, if the brush tip bounced off the floor, I would regard it as dirty and not use it. I guess in times like these, it is good to bring a backup πŸ˜›
    Jessica W recently posted..Cupcake loveMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Yeah, I think backup is the way to go. Or a multitasking brush that can be used for powder, blush, contouring, etc πŸ˜›

  8. sataa

    now that’s an interesting scenario I hope it never happens to me but if it does I would clean up the eyeliner from other eye and go without any eyeliner .My eyes and skin are soooo sensitive I can not risk having any allergic reaction or irritation

    1. Tine

      Yeah that’s a good idea. For sensitive skin, let’s not risk it πŸ™‚

  9. Bugs

    It depends whether it is carpet or tiles. If it is tiles or hard surface, then I might go for the 5 seconds rule after I wipe the brush with a clean tissue or something. But if it is carpet, NO.WAY…. To the sink it goes.

    1. Tine

      Hahaha what if it was the bathroom tiles? Still okay? πŸ˜‰

  10. Tram

    LMAO. Tine. I’d probably smarten up now and bring a bottle of brush cleaner with me everywhere after reading the scenario.. It’s something that would happen to me πŸ˜›

    I’d give it a quick wash, dry it and then switch to using the wet brush with a black powder eyeshadow instead. Don’t want anything nasty in my eyes… Eek!
    Tram recently posted..Saturday’s Swatches: Australis Go Long Longwear LipsticksMy Profile

    1. Tine

      These days, I have to have a small bottle of brush cleaner with me. Even if it’s not brush cleaner, I must have a small bottle of rubbing alcohol. I’m so freakin’ clumsy that I’m sure to drop something! πŸ˜›

  11. Elle

    Use some hand sanitizer on the brush πŸ™‚

    1. Tine

      How very clever! Why didn’t I think of hand sanitiser?!

  12. Neesha

    Ohh! I think it depends on the hotel I’m staying in πŸ˜›

    1. Tine

      Hahaha! 5 star hotel yes, 3 star no? Kekekeke! πŸ˜‰

  13. Marianthi

    Hmmm… I would definitely go for A. I have ocd with cleaning my brushes when I am at home, so if I am to get something from having one just touch a -supposedly sweeped- floor, so be it. I will accept the irony and treat my infection.
    (But deep down I know that nothing bad would happen, because it was on the floor for less than 5 seconds)

    1. Tine

      Hehe hence the 5 second rule! πŸ˜€

  14. Issy

    I would probably do A – five second rule!

    But then again I usually carry a tiny bottle of brush cleaner for these sorts of things ;o)

    1. Tine

      Great minds think alike, Issy πŸ˜‰

  15. BebeTaian

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five-second_rule

    As long as the brush and floor aren’t wet, chances are, it hasn’t picked up too much bacteria. You’re probably worse off using a tester at the mall with a disposable brush. If I have time, spritz it with alcohol or wash it. If not, there are probably worse things on my face from impure air.

    1. Tine

      I agree; brushes at the mall are dirtier. I forgot to add that in πŸ™‚

  16. Evelyn (CottonCandyDiva)

    Kind of like B I guess…wipe it off with a makeup wipe

    1. Tine

      Ahh good idea to have makeup wipes too to clean makeup brushes πŸ™‚

  17. Beauty Box

    My first reaction would be to do A but my more hygiene obsessed self would say, “Spot clean with makeup brush cleaner!” I always travel with MAC’s Brush Cleanser.
    Beauty Box recently posted..Three Masks I’ve Been LovingMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Haha I travel with a decanted bottle of MAC’s brush cleaner too! πŸ™‚

  18. I’ll probably go with the 5 second rule, and then afterward I’ll probably be disgusted by what I did lol. If I have my MAC brush cleanser with me, I’ll do a quick clean with it.
    Angela @ The Unprofessional Beauty Blog recently posted..Avocado and Honey DIY Face Mask|Nutritional Food For Beautiful SkinMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Hahahaha I hear ya! Don’t think about it, just use it first! πŸ˜›

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