A bathhouse without a broom is a waste of money. If you are well acquainted with this principle, but do not know (or do not remember) how to soak a broom for a bath made of oak, birch, spruce and other trees, it does not matter. Now we will quickly fill the gap in your knowledge, and you will be able to steam with knowledge and confidence in the future.
It's no secret that visiting a steam room has a beneficial effect on the human body. There he can relieve accumulated stress, warm up his body to prevent colds, cleanse his skin and just have a good time.
- FAQs How to properly steam in a sauna with a broom: a detailed guide A sauna is one of the best ways to bring yourself to life.
At the same time, a high-quality broom is an integral attribute in all bath procedures. It can be birch, oak, eucalyptus, juniper, alder, fir, and this is just the beginning. It is believed that each broom has its own special properties, so knowledgeable bath attendants choose bundles based on the purpose of visiting the steam room.
So, it’s time to figure out how to properly steam a bath broom and which one to choose best.
Why do you need to steam a broom at all?
Obviously, a massage with a dry and hard broom will be more reminiscent of medieval torture than a pleasant and healing procedure. At least for this reason, bath brooms should always be steamed.
Moreover, the process of steaming a broom is necessary so that its leaves begin to release the maximum amount of essential oils, resins and other useful elements to the human body. Also, thanks to this, the steam room space will be enveloped in a pleasant aroma of natural wood, which has a positive effect on the respiratory system.
Plus, a bath broom with softened and elastic branches will have all the necessary massage properties, as well as have a beneficial effect on the skin, improve blood circulation, promote sweating and perform other functions.
Contraindications
Any means have contraindications.
Brooms made from linden branches are no exception. Their use is prohibited in the following cases:
- The presence of severe damage and open wounds on the skin.
- Having an allergy to the plant.
- Cardiovascular diseases.
- Heat.
- Exacerbation of chronic pathologies.
With special care, brooms are used for massage of pregnant women, as well as people with blood pressure problems.
What types of bath brooms are there?
To figure out which broom is right for you, you need to familiarize yourself with their types and properties. Usually all brooms are divided into three categories:
- Deciduous (birch, alder, linden, oak, ash, and so on);
- Conifers (pine, spruce, juniper, fir, etc.);
- Herbal (from nettle, wormwood, mint and others).
For example, birch brooms are an all-time classic due to their strength, flexibility and practicality. They are not only very convenient to use, but also have a beneficial effect on human skin and quickly absorb sweat.
Another favorite of many bath attendants is an oak broom with even greater strength and wear resistance. With its help you can quickly create intense steam in the bathhouse and thoroughly warm up the body of the person steaming.
Another popular broom is the eucalyptus broom. Thanks to its properties, the steaming process with it turns the sauna into one large inhaler. They prefer to use it to clear the airways and “throw away” a cold. However, its branches are quite thin, so you can often find combined brooms with eucalyptus, birch or oak.
Essential oils of pine brooms also help to breathe properly in the steam room, however, for massage purposes, these tools may not be suitable for those who have sensitive skin or a fear of pine needles. Nevertheless, they are preferred by fans of more “hardcore” steaming.
Nettle brooms are considered an effective prevention of gout, radiculitis and diseased joints. In addition, they have a beneficial effect on human skin. However, nettle brooms are not as strong as oak, birch and even coniferous brooms. Therefore, they are also sometimes combined with other branches.
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Sometimes brooms made of maple and wormwood are taken to the bathhouse, but they are not as widespread as the above options. Maple has antiseptic properties, improves the skin, and also tones and relieves pain in the body.
Wormwood brooms are not suitable for everyone due to their specific smell, but their use helps relax muscles, relieve nervous tension, eliminate headaches and improve sleep.
Proper vaping
When using a spruce broom, the most important thing is not to damage the skin.
To do this, four points must be observed:
- First prepare the broom correctly - steam the needles until they become softer.
- It is good to steam the skin so that it becomes more elastic and not susceptible to damage.
- Warm the body with a broom using movements along the body to prepare for exposure to high temperatures.
- Start soaring with light effects, gradually moving to more intense ones, depending on the person’s condition.
How to steam a bath broom made of birch, oak, eucalyptus and other trees?
There are several simple and universal ways to steam a bath broom. The main thing is to follow several recommendations before any of them:
- Before the steaming process, the broom must be thoroughly rinsed in cold water;
- It is also worth making sure that its leaves are not limp, spoiled or completely rotten;
- If the broom is completely new, it is not necessary to steam it. Before use, just dip it in warm water for a while.
Tips, rules and recommendations
To properly steam a bath broom, you do not need to soak fresh twigs on which the foliage is still fresh, you just need to hold them over the steam for a couple of minutes, therefore, the broom will not lose its aroma and healing properties.
Branches on which the leaves have already dried should be steamed in a tub or some kind of basin. First, steam the broom handle so that it softens and becomes more flexible, and only then the broom base itself, made of dry twigs, on which you should place a small weight (the branches will stop floating and will evenly pick up moisture). Water should be used no higher than 60 degrees to preserve the beneficial properties and the leaves themselves.
The average time for steaming should be about 15 minutes. Try not to overcook, because then the leaves will stick to the body too much. But, if you chose a delicate preparation option, then after 12 hours of soaking, it will not lose its properties, since only cold water is used for this.
If you prefer coniferous brooms, for example, fir or spruce, then you should increase the steaming time by at least half an hour, but more is possible, because the needles of coniferous trees are quite hard and can damage the skin if they are not steamed enough.
Method number 1. Half an hour
So, let's move directly to the steaming methods. The first method is used some time before bath procedures.
First, you need to dip the broom into a bucket of heated water and leave it there for 25 minutes. After this time, add hot water to the container, cover it with something and wait no more than ten minutes.
Then you can take out the steamed broom, shake off excess water and begin the procedures.
Question answer
Is it possible to soar children with a linden broom?
Children over 3 years old can be brought to the steam room. In this case, you can use a linden broom to lightly massage and rub the baby’s skin. This procedure should not cause discomfort to the baby, and the time should not exceed 5-10 minutes.
How many times can you use the same broom?
A linden broom can be steamed 2-3 times. However, it is necessary to pay attention to its condition. If most of the foliage has fallen off and visible bare branches, the broom is disposed of.
If mold appears on a broom, what should you do with it?
If mold appears on a broom, it must be disposed of immediately. It's best to burn it. It is unsafe to use such a broom, since mold spores can cause respiratory diseases and provoke the development of allergies.
Is it possible to store linden brooms at home in a box?
You can store well-dried brooms at home in a cardboard box. However, even in this case, it is important to ensure good ventilation.
Is it possible to use a linden broom that has been stored for more than 3 years?
Yes, you can, if the broom is in good shape and has no damage or traces of mold or mildew. However, it is necessary to understand that the benefits of such a broom will be minimal.
Method number 2. The fastest
For those who are in a hurry to whip themselves and others with a broom in the steam room, there is the simplest and very fast way to do this. Simply dip the tool in hot water for a few minutes, then take it out and get to work.
Of course, experienced bath attendants do not particularly welcome this approach, but it is used by many people who do not see bath procedures as a sacred ritual.
Method number 3. Optimal
This method is used by most steamers and considers it the most optimal. First, the broom is dipped in warm and then in hot water (for about 20 minutes). After this, the bundle is shaken off and wrapped in a plastic bag.
Before starting the bath procedures, take the broom out of the bag, rinse it again, steam it over hot stones for 30 seconds and begin the procedures.
Method number 4. Time-consuming
If you still have a long time before your bath procedures (8-10 hours), you can use this method of steaming a broom and you won’t go wrong.
To begin, take a broom and completely lower it into a deep container with cool water. After 30 minutes, you need to shake it a little, turn it over and leave it there until you attend the procedure.
Just before entering the steam room, the broom must be taken out of the water, wrapped in a wet cloth and placed on the bottom shelf for about ten minutes. Thus, its branches will remain elastic and retain all the essential oils.
When to harvest?
The spruce is covered with a green crown all year round.
But for bath brooms it is customary to cut off the branches in certain months:
- December;
- January;
- February;
- March;
- May;
- June.
This is due to the content of valuable substances and the growth rhythms of spruce. In the winter months, the needles have a high content of vitamins: C, B2, and from March the active growth of young shoots begins. These young shoots are the best raw materials for making brooms. It is better to cut them from the north-west or south side. The most suitable branches are from the middle part of the tree.
Expert opinion
Lovkachev Boris Petrovich
Bath master who knows everything about steaming
Important! Even the place where the spruce grows matters. Needles grown at higher elevations will be of higher quality. A tree from lowlands quickly sheds its needles when it dries out and cannot be stored.
Method number 5. Standard
This method is used several hours before visiting the steam room. The broom should be immersed in a previously prepared container with warm water and left for half an hour. At this time, it must be turned over periodically so that the leaves can be saturated with moisture.
After this, the bundle must be removed and immersed again in the container with the handle down. So you need to keep it in the water for another ten minutes, and then boldly go to the steam room.
