Stuffed animals
What could go wrong with the impossibly cute and cuddly toys you use to comfort your little kids? "These are a magnet for dust mites," says Dr. Wolbert. And dust mites are the biggest culprit in indoor dust allergens, setting off sneezing, runny nose, and red, itchy eyes. Dust mites living in your kids' stuffed animals can prompt allergy attacks in anybody else in your household.
Stay safe: Keep one or two on your kid's bed and keep the rest on a shelf. Trade them out every couple of weeks, he suggests. (It cuts down on exposure if you're not surrounded by 10 at a time.) Or, wrap them in a plastic bag and stash in the freezer overnight—the cold kills mites.