How to grow bacterial cultures?

if i wanted to create a bacterial colony i would need a ager plate right but what if you don't have one and can the bacterial source be anything that is dirty, yesterday i want around the house with a q tip and swob areas that are warm and moist i was for sure that there were some bacteria in those kinds of places and them i put them in some water about 30 ml of water because thats what the bacteria needs to survive and i waited till today and i cant see nothing in it, oh by the way this is for my sons science project