We all know that there are right ways and wrong ways to handle certain foods, but it can be hard to keep track of them all. There are some rules that you should really pay attention to though, because if you don’t, you could make you and your family very ill.

When it comes to thawing and handling any kind of meat, including seafood and poultry, there are certain things you definitely want to be sure you do and don’t do. Check out this list of things you may be doing that could be detrimental to your health.

1. Placing frozen meat in hot water. You’ve probably forgotten to take the meat out to defrost on multiple occasions, and when you do, you are likely going to want to speed up the thawing process. Don’t put your meat in hot water to help things along though. This creates a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. To thaw your meat more quickly, just place the meat in a cool bowl of water. You’ll be surprised how fast this works.

2. Defrosting on your countertop. Again, while it might make sense to defrost them in a warm environment, leaving it out on the countertop to thaw for more than two hours increases the risk of spoiling your food. If you leave it on the countertop without placing it in a bowl or on a plate, you’re exposing it to even more bacteria.

3. Storing meat on the top shelf of the refrigerator. Finding room for everything in the fridge can be a daunting task, but don’t be lazy and put meat on the top shelf of the fridge. It should always be stored on the bottom shelf or the raw juices can drip onto other foods contaminating them.

4. Not washing your hands. You probably would be amazed, and disgusted, if you could see how much bacteria is on your hands. Make it a habit to wash your hands before handling food to prevent bacteria from touching things that you will be feeding your family. Also be sure to wash your hands after you’ve finished cooking. If you’ve handled raw meat, be sure to wash your hands before moving on to other tasks.

5. Is your microwave safe? That just depends on who you ask. Some experts believe microwaves are a supercharged environment for bacteria and others believe that cooking it immediately won’t cause any harm.

6. Washing meat. This habit is fine if you’re handling the meat properly, but once you’ve washed the meat, your sink, hands, and anywhere else that water and meat juices dripped will be covered in bacteria. Be sure that you are disinfecting these areas.

7. Cooking without thawing. While it is safe to cook your meat this way, the problem is that your meat won’t be the tastiest it could be. Meat becomes tough when it comes in contact with intense heat, so thawing your meat at the same time as cooking might produce a much tougher meal that your family won’t enjoy.

8. Putting yourself at risk for cross contamination. Don’t ever put your food on a plate that has had raw meat on it. This is a great way to get really sick. After you’ve finished using the cutting board, plate, knife, or anything else that has come in contact with raw meat, put these items in a sink full of hot water or go ahead and put them directly into the dishwasher.

9. Not properly washing dish rags and sponges. If you’re not sanitizing your dish rags and sponges every day, you may have a problem. If you don’t have time to clean them daily, it is best to replace them. When a piece of raw meat or meat juices comes in contact with a dish rag or sponge, bacteria can easily be transferred around your kitchen.

10. The wrong way to marinade. You should be marinating your meat in a closed container or bag in the fridge. Leaving it outside in an open bowl will expose it to dangerous bacteria. Be sure that you throw away the marinade as soon as you’re done with it because using that marinade on your cooked meal is a recipe for disaster.

If you think this article was helpful, please share it with a friend to make sure they’re handling their raw meat properly. We don’t want them to get sick either!