Professional Prayer Rug Cleaning

 Prayer rugs aren’t like any other rugs in your home. It doesn’t matter whether they’ve been passed down for generations, bought the day before yesterday, or given as gifts. They can be wool prayer rugs or silk prayer rugs brightened by jewel-like vegetable dyes. Even prayer rugs made of nylon or polyester and run-of-the-mill dyes are precious. Our experts at Aegis understand this, which is why we take prayer rug care and maintenance seriously.

Prayer Rugs: Meaning and Symbolism

Muslims have used prayer rugs since the time of the founding of Islam at the start of the 7th century. Of course, people in other religions get down on their knees to pray, and Orthodox Christians and some followers of the Baháʼí Faith also use prayer rugs. However, a devout Muslim prays five times a day in a clean spot that faces Mecca. The prayer rug not only keeps the area clean but helps the supplicant face the holy city. Prayer rugs often have patterns inspired by the physical space of a mosque. In some mosques, a holy stone called a qibla is installed in a wall or a niche that faces Mecca. This niche is called the mihrab. The mihrab is often reproduced in traditional prayer rugs with the arch of the niche at the top of the rug. This allows the rug to point to Mecca. The supplicant kneels on a prayer field beneath the arch that represents the floor of the mosque. However, some prayer rugs have an arch at both ends. This represents not only the mihrab but the entrance to Paradise itself. Pillars of wisdom may be incorporated into this design on either side of the double arch. Some prayer rugs are actually woven in the shape of the mihrab.

The prayer field in many traditional prayer rugs is undecorated. An exception to this would be a prayer rug with a tree of life design. The tree of life design is ancient and predates Islam and even Christianity. The top of the tree represents Paradise, the middle represents human beings and the bottom represents the rest of the natural world. The tree links all of these worlds. Other traditional rug patterns and meanings for prayer rugs include the vase or a grouping of vases.

Prayer Rug Cleaning Considerations

The good thing about prayer rugs is that they’re not as subject to soiling as are rugs for everyday use. A prayer rug is probably in a special place in the room, a person wouldn’t eat or drink while upon it, and it may be small enough to be rolled up and stored. Still, like other rugs, a prayer rug is subject to the dust and dirt found in even the cleanest room. Eventually, it may need some professional rug cleaning. Our experienced rug cleaners are here to give your precious rug all the care and attention it deserves.

Cleaning a prayer rug the wrong way can have catastrophic consequences. Dyes can run or fade, and fabrics can fray. Improper cleaning and handling can strip a wool rug of protective lanolin and stain or crush velvet. Depending on the textile, the rug can actually shrink, warp or felt. Felting happens when the fibers grab onto each other when exposed to water and soap and form a dense mat. This is something you don’t want for your prayer rug. Our cleaners at Aegis are aware of these risks and take all care to avoid them.

Caring for Delicate Prayer Rugs

One of the things that differentiates Aegis from other rug and carpet cleaners in the Austin area is that we wash your rug by hand. Prayer rugs tend to be small. Frankly, this does make caring for them easier, especially when compared to rugs and carpets that are nearly the size of a room. It might be tempting to toss a prayer rug into a washing machine, but we’re mindful that this is your prayer rug, and it deserves special treatment. The first thing we do with your prayer rug is inspect it and touch it. The feel of it tells much about how it needs to be cleaned and if there’s any damage that needs to be repaired.

Inspecting and handling your prayer rug beforehand also lets us know what sort of dyes it has and the safest way to clean them. After we hand wash your rug, we dry it on an air cushion. We would never put your prayer rug in something as brutal as a commercial dryer.  The drying time also depends on the textile.

Another thing we do that’s different from other rug cleaners is pick up your rug and bring it back to your home, at no extra charge.

Contact Us for Prayer Rug Cleaning

Your prayer rug deserves the best care whether it's an heirloom, a wedding or birthday gift, or you bought it a few years ago online. Aegis Fine Rug Cleaning is happy to take care of your rug, whether you’re from Mirador, Pemberton, Driftwood or other communities in the Austin area. Don’t hesitate to call us at (512) 327-1900.