Cheese came long before refrigeration, but refrigeration greatly extends the shelf life of any cheese. Don't leave cheese out for long periods, especially close to heat sources like ovens, fryers, dishwashers etc. If a cheese is left out of refrigeration long enough to exude moisture and butterfat, it's quality will suffer and your yields will go down from shrink caused by premature mold.

Cheese is a living food and different cheeses contain different types of mold. To avoid cross contamination, wash and sanitize all utensils between contact with other cheeses or other foods. If you do not have a basic sanitizing solution in your kitchen, directions for preparing one are in your materials.

Blue cheeses and Soft Ripened cheeses like Brie and Camembert have very active mold cultures on their rinds. Be especially careful to sanitize cutting tools and work surfaces after handling these cheeses.

There is also a formulation for a cleaning solution (not sanitizing) referred to by cheesemakers as Brine Wash. In addition to deodorizing coolers quickly, it is very handy for wiping down large blocks of cheese which have mold developing on hard rinds. (i.e. Parmesan) Since there are no chemicals other than vinegar, it can come in direct contact with the cheese.

The most important rules in handling cheeses properly are the 3-c' s. Keep the cheeses clean, cold, and covered.