"- Replace carpet with hard surfaces. "Carpet is pretty awful," said Robert Jacobs, professor of environmental and occupational health at the University of Louisville's School of Public Health and Information Sciences. Carpet collects dirt, dust, pollen and animal dander. If it gets wet, mold grows in it. Carpet padding often contains flame-retardant chemicals that you want to limit your exposure to. So go for wood or tile floors with throw rugs you can easily clean. Damp-mop the flooring."