A bath broom can be knitted from different types of trees. Let's figure out which material should be preferred and how to make a broom from it that will not fall off after steaming.
Bath procedures strengthen the immune system, improve metabolism, remove toxins from the body, rejuvenate the skin, relieve hangovers, calm nerves and relax. The main “working tool” that creates a unique atmosphere and creates a pleasant microclimate is a bath broom.
Popular bath brooms
The bath brooms described below not only steam well, but also have valuable healing properties.
Birch broom for a bath
This broom is a real symbol of the Russian bath. Birch is the most popular and versatile tree species, a truly magical guest from the plant world. Its leaves contain vitamins A and C, essential oils and tannins. When heated, they are released in huge quantities, disinfecting the air and destroying microbes.
Birch broom is used to prevent pulmonary diseases, colds and bronchitis, and improves the health of heavy smokers. It improves tone, stimulates blood circulation, and relieves swelling. A good treatment with a birch broom smooths out wrinkles, improves skin color, eliminates acne and heals wounds.
Oak broom for a bath
Many bathhouse connoisseurs prefer an oak broom. The king of Russian forests also has a lot of useful qualities. It will be especially useful for those with oily skin who want to relieve inflammation and heal old wounds. After it, the skin acquires a clean, matte shade and becomes smooth.
“The Oak Doctor” comes to the aid of hypertensive patients, professional athletes, and people whose activities involve nervous work. It lowers blood pressure, instantly calms and relaxes, making you forget about problems. Doctors recommend oak brooms for those who have excessive sweating associated with an unpleasant odor.
Unlike a birch broom, an oak broom produces more steam and can be taken with you several times. True, in the bath it will turn out to be heavier than the birch one and you will have to wave it harder.
Linden broom for bath
In winter, such a broom becomes especially relevant. During the cold season, the immune system and general condition of the body are undermined by the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables, cloudy weather and darkness. A linden broom will help you cheer up.
It prevents the development of colds and inflammatory processes, stimulates the immune system, relieves headaches and eliminates insomnia. And if you wash down your trip to the bathhouse with linden decoction instead of the usual drinks, you can consider yourself a renewed healthy person.
A linden broom can replace a beauty salon - it perfectly whitens the skin, heals scars and marks left from pimples and acne and after removing freckles.
Is it worth enduring the pain?
Under no circumstances should you tolerate pain from a broom. A visit to the steam room should not cause severe discomfort. The purpose of the wellness procedure is to give pleasure from steam, water and aromas, to give a person strength.
All this can be achieved by strictly following the technique. To do this, it is important to carry out procedures in the steam room carefully and consistently - from stroking and pressing the broom to lightly quilting the body. In addition, you need to constantly listen to yourself and if you experience severe discomfort from clapping with a hard or prickly broom, immediately weaken the force of the blows or stop them completely.
A trip to the bathhouse is “two in one”. A person has a pleasant time and at the same time receives a powerful charge of health. A lot depends on what kind of broom is in the steam room. Do not be afraid of painful sensations, because every tingling sensation will soon result in good health.
Coniferous brooms for baths
They include various subspecies. This includes cedar , fir , spruce and other bath brooms. They are less popular because of their “rudeness,” since not every amateur steamer can withstand being whipped with needles. And for people with delicate skin or diseases of its upper layers, such procedures are completely contraindicated.
If you handle the pine broom improperly, you can scratch the surface of the skin, which will negate the beneficial effect.
Needles are a rare material in terms of their healing effects. It is used in the treatment of tuberculosis and rheumatism, serious lung diseases, toothache and headaches, for relaxation and calming frayed nerves. Additionally, you receive a free aromatherapy session, because the smell of fresh pine needles can be compared to nothing in terms of the power of positive influence.
The best part is that you can prepare a pine broom at any time of the year.
To reduce the “prickliness” of a coniferous broom, add deciduous branches around its perimeter and steam longer.
Nettle bath broom
This is a serious “home therapist”, a tough means of preventing and treating many dangerous diseases. It is not often used in the bathhouse, but if you want something extreme and unconventional, then this is the best option. Many people are probably scared by the increased pungency of nettle, but not everyone knows that after a good steaming it is already less capricious. Instead of the familiar blisters, a slight redness remains on the skin, and the vaping process itself is accompanied by a tingling sensation.
It is believed that steaming with a nettle broom improves the condition of rheumatism, helps the body cope with liver and kidney diseases, eliminates muscle spasms, and restores skin after rashes and acne.
Criterias of choice
The main criteria for choosing a bath broom are:
- rigidity;
- the chemical composition of the plant from which the bath device is made.
With hardness, everything is very clear - it determines how well the broom cleanses the skin, as well as how comfortable it is to use.
With the chemical composition, everything is somewhat more complicated. It influences a number of factors. For example, oak cleanses oily skin better. Also, different plants have different effects on the human body. So, birch has a beneficial effect on the skin.
Unusual bath brooms
Bird cherry, currant and cherry bath brooms are considered the most delicate. Bird cherry brooms have a pleasant aroma, and their leaves contain antiseptics and other beneficial substances. They promote the healing of wounds and ulcers, treat colds, strengthen hair and rejuvenate the skin.
Cherry and currant are very light, aromatic and soft. Unfortunately, they are not very durable and fall apart quickly.
By the way, no one forbids you to make combined brooms and add branches of exotic plants such as eucalyptus , mint , juniper , raspberries , chamomile , etc.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus leaf is an excellent antiseptic and has valuable medicinal qualities. Eucalyptus vapor envelops the larynx and bronchi, creating a kind of inhalation that promotes their rapid recovery.
You can steam it in boiling water and, bringing it to your face, breathe in the fragrant steam for a few minutes. It is better to harvest eucalyptus broom in August.
It has one drawback - thin branches, it is difficult to generate steam with them. But this can be corrected if you combine eucalyptus with birch or oak branches.
When to prepare raw materials for a broom
The best time to find and prepare brooms for a bath is mid-summer . Only at this time the leaves are as “ready” as possible to turn into a broom; they are soft, fragrant and tender. However, the start of preparations falls on Trinity, which falls at a different time every year (49 days after Easter). As a rule, this is the end of May - the first ten days of June.
With the end of the preparations, everything is also clear - after August 2 (Ilya’s Day), according to popular beliefs, there is no point in knitting any brooms, with the exception of oak ones. It is believed that the trees begin to lose their healing power and no longer have the beneficial effect that was originally present.
What raw materials are suitable for a bath broom?
It is recommended to prepare brooms in dry and warm weather. Try to immediately get rid of the temptation to pick branches from the nearest stunted fishing line. Experts do not recommend using workpieces from the following areas:
- in the area of power lines;
- near factories and factories;
- close to major highways and roads.
When cutting branches, pay attention to whether the leaves are securely attached to the base; they should not fall off from simple shaking. Choose branches without thorns, jagged edges, and those that do not drip resin.
Take care of the trees! Cut off the minimum number of branches required. Branches of young trees (up to 3 years old) are ideal for brooms - they bend well and are rich in life-giving force.
In general, there is usually no need to climb to the top of the tree for branches. However, suitable specimens usually grow closer to the ground. If we talk about birch, then the “highest class” are considered to be trees growing near water; they are usually called “weeping birch”.
You can check the “quality” of the future broom when cutting the branches. If the leaves are rough, then it is better not to take such branches. They should be smooth, soft and velvety. It is better to cut young shoots from the sides using pruners.
Do not put fresh branches in bags, sacks or bags - they may become caked and lose their elasticity. To transport home, it is better to carefully bandage future brooms and either put them in the car or carry them in your hands. Do not pull the branches tightly together; they will still need to be dried.
How to knit a broom correctly
The branches should dry for several days in a room isolated from sunlight. Next, select branches of approximately the same length or cut them. After this, you need to clear 1/3 of each branch from leaves.
Collect branches into a bundle, placing thicker branches in the center, and laying thin ones around and tying them together. All branches should bend inward, the inner side of the leaf (matte) should look toward the center of the broom, and the smooth and even outer side should look outward. The thickness of the broom should be small so that it is comfortable for the steamer to hold and use. As for the length, it is usually small - no more than 60 cm.
Tying a broom can be done in several ways. We will tell you about one original method that allows you to knit a reliable and durable broom.
To begin with, you should take two equal parts of one future broom and fold them crosswise with their bases so that one part has a margin of about 10 cm. After this, you need to tie them tightly at the intersection. Then carefully transfer the “short” broom to the “long” one, twisting it at the same time, pressing it tightly with an overlap. After this, you should additionally tie the parts of the broom 15-20 cm from the place of the first dressing. If desired, you can make another dressing, but the fluffy “tail” with leaves must be left free in any case.
For bandaging, use hemp or cotton rope, but under no circumstances tie the broom with wire. In the bath it gets very hot and the likelihood of getting a burn increases.
Preparing scrubs
You can buy bath scrubs, or you can prepare them yourself. The second option is even better: traditionally, natural products are preferred in the bathhouse.
Salt with honey. After thoroughly mixing the heated mixture (to do this, keep it in the steam room on the shelf for several minutes), gently rub it into the skin. Unforgettable sensations are guaranteed. Salt mechanically cleanses the skin, increases sweating, and absorbs toxins that are released along with sweat. Honey softens the skin and neutralizes the irritating effects of salt. Among other things, it contains a huge amount of microelements that nourish the skin, making it healthy and velvety.
Oatmeal with honey and sour cream . Amazing body scrub-mask. Oats are poured with boiling water and mixed with honey and sour cream before applying to the body. After this scrub, the skin remains smooth and velvety for a whole week.
Ground coffee. Mix the remaining grounds from the brewed coffee with honey and treat your heels and elbows - they will become such that babies will be jealous.
Corn grits with egg. Brew the cereal with boiling water (you can use chamomile infusion), mix with the yolk and apply to the body.
How to properly dry and store bath brooms
The broom should be thoroughly dried before use. The ideal option is the attic of the house or the bathhouse itself. The sun's rays do not penetrate here, and it is also possible to carefully hang the bundle with the base up. Do not waste space - hang the brooms at a sufficient distance from each other, so they will dry and ventilate better.
During drying, the broom should hang upside down
Alternatively, you can carefully lay them out on newspaper in a cool place. Brooms should be turned over daily, and if they are stored in bulk, then the lower and damp ones should be placed on top of an improvised “pile”.
After drying, suitable storage conditions must be ensured. Brooms are best preserved in cool and shade. We note the following storage options:
- on a special rack in a dressing room or other dry and ventilated room, suspended with the base up;
- in cardboard boxes with holes for ventilation. Several pieces need to be stacked carefully. When stored this way, the brooms almost never dry out and retain the shape of a regular fan;
- on the roof of a house, barn, garage or hayloft. The brooms laid with a small margin from each other are covered with hay and left in this form. Not the best option in case of heavy rain;
- at home on the balcony.
How to steam a bath broom correctly
To make steaming in a bathhouse with a broom especially pleasant, you need to properly steam it before using it. Moreover, brooms from different tree species are steamed slightly differently.
How to steam a birch broom
There are several ways to steam a birch broom. You shouldn't stress him out in boiling water. This way the branches will lose their leaves and you will be left without a broom. In this matter, more “humane” methods are preferable.
- The first is to rinse a dry broom under the tap and lower it into a basin (pan) with cold water for 2-3 minutes. Then it is placed in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes so that it is properly soaked, and right there it is scalded with boiling water from a ladle. Afterwards, the broom steamed in water is covered with a towel or lid and left for 10 minutes. This method is good because the broom gets wet and heats up gradually and evenly, becoming flexible and elastic.
- The second method is longer. The day before going to the bathhouse, a dry broom is placed in cold water; before entering the steam room, it is taken out and, wrapped in a wet towel, placed on the shelf for 10 minutes. In the humid hot air the “bouquet” will warm up, filling it with a pleasant leafy scent. This gentle method allows you to preserve the maximum of useful and aromatic substances in birch branches.
- When steaming a broom the third method, wrap it in a damp towel for a day (as it will gradually absorb moisture), and in the steam room, the wet branches are doused with boiling water before use.
How to steam an oak broom
Oak leaves are tougher and require a slightly different approach.
- First way. First, an oak broom should be placed in boiling water for 15-20 minutes, then a cold “bath” should be given to it for 5 minutes. And after that, it is again immersed in boiling water for 3 minutes. The broom is ready!
- Second way. The broom is dipped in hot water and then placed on hot stones. The broom is steamed with its own steam. This procedure can be done 2-3 times. This will soften the leaves and aromatize the air in the steam room. Just do not apply the broom to the skin immediately from the stones - this can cause a severe burn.
- The third way was to steam a broom in the old days. It was simply placed in boiling water for 15 minutes, and then, like a bouquet, the ends were placed in hot water.
How to steam a pine broom
Steaming with a pine broom is a test for extreme sports enthusiasts. Although it has a colossal massage effect. But so that such a procedure does not create a feeling of torture, but brings pleasure and benefit, the broom must be prepared wisely. The basic rule is that the pine broom should be fresh, then the needles will not be so dry and prickly.
The pine broom is steamed for 10-15 minutes before use. A bathhouse with a pine broom is a good medicine in the fight against colds.
Spruce has thinner and sharper needles, so it takes about 30 minutes a spruce But steaming is very beneficial for them - it improves blood flow, removes toxins, and eliminates muscle pain. When working with spruce branches, you need to be careful - for people with sensitive skin, a series of injections can cause irritation.
A fir broom is placed in hot water for 15-20 minutes. It will fill the air with healing essential oils, and also help relieve coughs, calm nerves and improve sleep.
The juniper broom is steamed a little longer - 30 minutes or more. But since it is very caustic and gets very hot, you need to steam with it carefully, only lightly touching the skin. But it disinfects the air and smells pleasant.
thuja broom is rarely used in a bathhouse, although thuja is a common plant in garden plots. Its branches are not so hard and prickly, so it is enough to keep the broom in boiling water for 20 minutes. The pleasant coniferous aroma of thuja heals the air, has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, and relieves nervous tension.
How to steam a nettle broom
Nettle leaves, although prickly, are not hard and there is no need to steam them. It is enough to immerse such a broom in hot water for 2-3 minutes, and then transfer it to a bowl of cold water for the same time. This should be done several times - this alternation of heating and cooling will soften the stinging sensation of the nettle, and retain its beneficial properties and you can steam to your health!
It’s not for nothing that in the old days they said: “in a bathhouse a broom is more valuable than money.” A good broom can quickly “bring back to life” tired steamers and put sick people back on their feet. If stored properly, it will last you about 2 years.
Bamboo
A bamboo broom only at first glance seems hard, tough and tedious
For a Russian bathhouse, a bamboo broom is exotic. But experienced bathhouse attendants should try it, because bamboo is able to forcefully “pull” pain out of the human body. It massages the spine, joints, ligaments and muscles especially well.
A bamboo broom can:
- improve well-being with joint pain;
- relieve spinal pain;
- relieve tension in the body;
- cleanse the skin of toxins;
- reduce stretch marks after childbirth;
- strengthen blood vessels and heart.
A bamboo broom is a bunch of long thin sticks. They are quite hard. This explains the need to withstand a certain force of impact - so that the contacts are extremely light, very fast, cause a minimum of discomfort and do not leave wounds or scratches.
Such brooms are common in the Land of the Rising Sun. The Japanese use them for acupuncture massage. With its help, they effectively improve the condition of the back, feet and palms.
The use of bamboo brooms has certain subtleties that must be taken into account:
- before using a bamboo broom, you need to thoroughly steam your skin in the steam room and then take a shower;
- it is advisable to use not one, but two bamboo bundles at once (this will give a greater healing effect);
- start the massage with light tapping, gradually adding gentle claps;
- carry out a massage procedure from the feet to the neck, massaging the arms and legs along the way;
- then go back from head to feet;
- It’s a good idea to use aromatic oils and herbal infusions during the massage (they will make the procedure more comfortable and useful).
With all the benefits of bamboo brooms, we should not forget about the existing contraindications to their use. Among them:
- kidney and liver diseases;
- tuberculosis;
- varicose veins;
- benign tumors;
- migraine and hypertension;
- infectious diseases;
- skin diseases;
- diseases of the genitourinary system;
- any chronic disease.
You should not use a broom in the bathhouse or during the recovery period after operations.
The bamboo broom does not need to be immersed in boiling water before use. In addition, this bath accessory is not used to generate heat and steam. The purpose of a bamboo broom is exclusively to massage the body.
