We all know that germs lurk everywhere. Our homes, offices, gyms, and schools are full of these things — they are a microscopic fact of life.

The grocery store is also a playground for germs. With a variety of surfaces and food products, it is one of the easiest places to pick up a germ that can make you very sick indeed. Think of all the times you “hand-browse” by picking up an apple or a package of raw meat — and then put it down again. Then think of all the others who do the same exact thing.

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Since we can’t see them, we often forget the power of germs, but the flu virus alone can survive on a hard surface for as long as 18 hours. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 200,000 Americans contact food poisoning every single day — largely by touching something contaminated by germs, then transferring those germs from hand to mouth.

Before you exit the grocery store after you’re done shopping, use the hand sanitizer that most stores have installed at their exit doors. Then you won’t feel so vulnerable as you crack open that package of cookies for the ride home.

Germs are scary in theory — and scarier when they make you sick.

Related: Flu Season’s Germiest Places

But there is good news. Unless you are very elderly, very young, or have a compromised immune system, your natural antibodies most likely will keep you safe from harmful germs. So shop away — just remember to use hand sanitizer and wash up when you get home.

And keep these dirtiest places in the supermarket in mind!

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