Although some home textiles don’t have care labels, manufacturers are required to list the fiber content, which can provide useful clues. Many of these things are slow to dry, but the process will go faster if “you shake out the items so they’re not in a wet wad before you place them in the dryer,” says Sandra Phillips, a cleaning consultant and the author of A Clean Break (Live-Right Books, $10, amazon.com).

Blankets

Nonwool blankets can usually be machine-washed on gentle with cool water and all-purpose detergent. Check for colorfastness first. Rinse with cold water; tumble dry on low or line-dry. With wool, dry cleaning is often the safest bet. If you have the patience for hand washing such a heavy piece, use a mild detergent in cold water. Lay flat and dry completely before using the dryer’s air setting to fluff it up.

Curtains

Many must be dry-cleaned. Treat washable fabrics, like cotton, with a gentle touch, as the cloth has probably been weakened by months or―let’s face it―years of exposure to sunlight and dust. Launder separately with warm or cool water on the gentle cycle with mild detergent. Air-dry, then iron when slightly damp. To make laundering easier in the future, go over curtains with the vacuum’s upholstery tool every couple of months and wash every one to two years, says Steve Boorstein, author of The Clothing Doctor’s 99 Secrets to Clothing Care (Boutique, $20, amazon.com).

Rugs

Clean small cotton and synthetic rugs, and bath mats and doormats with thin latex or rubber backings, by themselves in cold or warm water on the gentle cycle. To get a thorough cleaning but minimize wear of the materials, use half the recommended amount of all-purpose detergent, then air-dry. You can also spot-clean these and other rugs with a foam carpet cleaner, such as Resolve High-Traffic Foam (from $7). Let a pro handle large carpets made of wool or plant fibers, like sisal and jute, as well as valuable and antique pieces.