A fir broom contains a lot of useful substances, strengthening the immune system, but if steamed incorrectly, it quickly sheds its needles. You need to know the subtleties and nuances of preparation, storage and use in the bathhouse in order to get the maximum benefit.
A fir broom is not only an incredible aroma in a steam room, but also a storehouse of useful substances that, when in contact with the skin and respiratory organs, help strengthen the immune system.
Several trips to the bathhouse with such a broom in winter and no respiratory disease can be overcome, because fir contains aromatic oils, which, when inhaled, cleanse the mucous membranes and strengthen the body’s natural defenses.
You need to know how to not only properly prepare and store a fir broom, but also how to steam it. This has its own nuances that will allow you to turn a visit to the bathhouse into full-fledged physiotherapy.
What are the benefits of a fir broom in a bathhouse?
Bath procedures are very beneficial for the body in themselves. But they have an even more pronounced positive effect if you steam wood brooms for use for massage purposes.
Of particular interest are fir branches, the needles of which contain a huge amount of useful substances. If you steam the shoots of a plant, then under the influence of high temperature and humidity, valuable components will be released into the environment. Active massage with fir branches in the bathhouse promotes:
- deep cleansing of the skin;
- improving blood circulation and metabolic processes;
- rejuvenation of the whole body;
- relieving nervous tension;
- normalization of breathing.
Steaming fir is recommended to protect against colds. Bath procedures increase immunity, strengthen blood vessels, help get rid of stress and insomnia.
Errors
The most popular mistakes:
- Collecting twigs in the second half of summer, early autumn.
- Drying leaves in sunlight.
- Improper storage of finished products in rooms with high humidity levels.
To enjoy the bath procedures, you need to take care of choosing or making your own broom. You can make a bunch of fir. It has elastic, durable branches that can withstand heavy loads and are not destroyed by moisture or constant temperature changes.
Sources
- https://AgroGnom.ru/flowers/raznoe/pihtovyj-venik-dlya-bani-polza-i-vred-pravila-ispolzovaniya-i-hraneniya.html
- https://banyaspec.com/poleznoe-o-bane/kak-zaparit-pikhtovyy-venik-dlya-bani-sovety-po-ispolzovaniyu.html
- https://sauna-aivengo.ru/veniki/pihtovyj-venik.html
- https://banya10.ru/aksessuary/kak-zaparivat-pihtovyj-venik.html
- https://sauna-top.ru/aksessuary/pihta-dlya-bani.html
- https://v-banyu.ru/kak-zaparivat-pihtovyj-venik.html
- https://o-vannoy.ru/veniki/pihtovye/
- https://VenikiBeniki.ru/kogda-zagotavlivayut-pikhtovye-veniki-dlya-bani
- https://probani.guru/zdorov/pihtovyj-venik/
- https://stroy-podskazka.ru/veniki/pihtovyj/
How to properly steam a fir broom in a bathhouse
You need to steam the shoots using a special technology. There are two main methods, one of them suggests using boiling water, according to the second, pine paws are simply immersed in hot water. You can brew a fir broom in a bathhouse correctly using both methods; each of them has its own advantages.
How to steam a fir broom in boiling water
Soaking in the hottest water possible is the fastest way to properly prepare a fir broom for a bath. The algorithm looks very simple:
- pour a sufficient amount of boiling water into a spacious container, preferably wooden or ceramic;
- Pre-tied fir branches are immersed in water for ten minutes, and then removed and used in the bathhouse for their intended purpose.
Steaming fir in boiling water is convenient if the bath is already heated and there is no time for long soaking.
Although steaming fir in boiling water is very simple, the quick method has a serious drawback. Extreme thermal exposure destroys essential oils. In other words, coniferous bundle becomes soft, but much less useful for a bath.
How to steam a fir broom in hot water
To properly steam a fir broom without using boiling water, you will have to spend more time. But the branches will retain maximum benefit. You need to steam the shoots like this:
- water with a temperature not exceeding 80 °C is poured into a bucket or any other deep container;
- tied fir shoots are immersed in liquid;
- leave to infuse for 3-4 hours until the branches become as soft as possible.
Important! From time to time you need to check the temperature and, if necessary, add fresh water; there is no point in steaming the shoots in a cooled liquid.
It is recommended to properly soak a fir broom using the “warm” method. Then the essential oils and phytoncides are fully preserved in the coniferous paws. Soft shoots prepared for the bath have pronounced strengthening, tonic and antibacterial properties.
Fir should be steamed so that the green part of the fagot is completely immersed in water
Recommendations
To achieve the maximum effect from using a fir broom, you need to adhere to certain recommendations and expert advice.
- If, even despite the contraindications, you decide to buy a fir broom for the bathhouse, but during its use you feel unwell and have an unpleasant odor, immediately leave the steam room.
- Be sure to get a blood test to determine if you are allergic to fir.
- If you want to make a broom yourself, follow all the rules for collecting material that were indicated above in the article.
- If you are gathering behind fir branches, but it starts to rain, the hike should be postponed for 2 days.
- When buying a fir broom, do not rush, inspect it carefully. Its branches should be smooth without defects and have a pleasant, pronounced fir smell.
- Do not cut branches from the same tree more than once a year.
- Under no circumstances should you dry fir branches cut for a bath broom in direct sunlight. In this case, the plant will lose all its beneficial properties, and the needles will simply dry out and fall out.
- Do not throw out the water in which you steamed the broom. It can be used in the steaming process - spray the coals with it. This way the aroma of fir will be present throughout your entire stay in the bathhouse.
Follow these recommendations, and you will be able to make your own fir bath broom without much effort and use it with great pleasure.
How to properly use and steam with a fir broom in a bathhouse
In order for steaming with fir branches in a bathhouse to bring real benefits, you need to carry out a massage with a broom according to a special scheme. First of all, you should not start active procedures immediately after entering the steam room. First, you need to sit or lie down quietly so that the body gets used to the new conditions and the skin pores open properly.
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After this, you can start steaming. It must be carried out with the help of a partner, since it is quite difficult to treat the body on your own. The video on how to steam with a fir broom suggests the following algorithm:
- a person lies down on a bench in a bathhouse, face down, and an assistant, with light movements, runs brooms over his skin from top to bottom, from the neck to the toes;
- then the same light strokes are carried out on the sides of the body, but in the direction from bottom to top, from the heels to the head;
- Then you can move directly to patting; use a fir broom to tap the feet and calves, as well as the hips and pelvic area several times in a row;
- then the coniferous shoots are lifted to the ceiling, where the hottest air is concentrated, as if they capture the steam and lower it to the lower back, pressing the branches to the skin with your hands for a few seconds;
- The back, shoulders, arms and knees of a lying person are treated in a similar way.
It is better to steam and use two brooms at once in a bath for uniform treatment of the body.
The entire massage complex must be repeated three times in one visit to the steam room. You can also use a simpler quilting technique. Coniferous shoots are lightly struck on the skin from shoulders to heels for several minutes, and then the sides are treated in the same way.
Important! Correct use of a fir broom in a bath requires that all movements remain gentle and neat.
Precautions for use
As a rule, eucalyptus does not have a pronounced negative effect on the body. But in order to avoid various problems, you should always follow the recommendations and ensure that the use occurs in accordance with the recommended doses. You can always read on the packaging about how to brew decoctions from eucalyptus leaves and make various infusions for lotions from them, if the product was purchased at a pharmacy.
When used externally, do not forget about the always possible individual intolerance and possible allergic reactions. They can manifest themselves in redness and itching in the places where lotions were applied.
Quite interesting and worthy of attention is the fact that eucalyptus leaves do not have any therapeutic effect when consumed internally in people who have nephritis.
Despite its rather mild effect, eucalyptus leaf still has its contraindications for use. These include severe damage to the liver and kidneys. These drugs are not prescribed to children under 2 years of age.
For pregnant women, it is recommended that they take the plant in consultation with their doctor.
Eucalyptus leaves are not used for severe liver and kidney diseases, as well as for children under 2 years of age.
When to prepare fir brooms for a bath
To obtain maximum benefit, preparation of fir brooms for a bath should be done at the right time. Theoretically, this can be done throughout the year, including in winter; the needles do not fall off the branches in the cold.
But the best time to cut spruce branches is in June and July. During this period, fresh needles actively grow on fir branches, and it is in them that essential oils are contained in the largest volumes. In addition, the shoots at the beginning of summer are resilient, elastic and do not crumble.
Fir should be harvested in clear and dry weather, in the first half of the day, before the bright sun appears. You should not collect spruce branches in the rain or immediately after it.
In order for a bath broom to bring more benefits, it needs to be steamed almost immediately after collection. Thus, it is best to cut fir shortly before the planned procedures.
Manufacturing process
A fir broom is made from pine needles collected in sunny, dry weather. Branches whose length does not exceed seventy centimeters are suitable for these purposes. The thickest of them are placed inside the future product, surrounded by thinner twigs. It is important to ensure that the curved edges of the shoots are facing the broom. There should be no knots or small needles in the place where the handle is supposed to be placed.
During the knitting process, the branches must be placed so that you end up with a flat broom. At the end, the assembled bundle should be tied with twine or any other strong rope. This should be done in the place where the broom handle is located. Then all that remains is to trim the ends of the fir branches and wrap the handle with a bandage or cloth.
Those who do not have the opportunity to make a full-fledged fir broom can be recommended to use oil obtained from the needles of this plant. It is extracted from spruce branches using a special apparatus. At the same time, from a two-hundred-liter barrel tightly packed with fir branches, you can get only one and a half liters of oil.
How to cut branches correctly
To prepare a fir broom for a bathhouse, you need to choose mature trees located away from highways, industrial facilities and large cities. The cleaner the atmosphere in the place where the conifer grows, the more useful the steamed shoots will be:
- For the bath, choose the straightest, even branches, from which you will get a neat bundle. Their length should be at least 60-70 cm.
- You need to cut the spruce branches with sharply sharpened pruning shears. Immediately after separating the branches in their lower part, about 20 cm, small shoots and needles are removed, forming the handle of the future broom.
- The prepared paws are not stacked on top of each other, but side by side, making sure that the tilt is in one direction.
It is convenient to steam fir branches; if they are the same size, the bundle turns out to be more accurate
Advice! You need to collect branches to steam them for a bath from the same fir no more than once a year. It is better not to touch young trees at all; severe pruning can lead to their death.
Brief description of fir
This tree is very common in our country. If you believe the statistics, it covers about 18 million hectares, which very often form extensive hunting grounds. Fir is shade-tolerant, and at certain stages of development it is shade-loving, which allows it to successfully survive in conditions of dense taiga growth. Among the characteristics of the plant, it is worth noting the cones that grow from the bottom up and open directly on the mother tree, leaving characteristic vertical rods after seeding.
Fir needles differ significantly from other conifers in the density and shape of individual elements, which in cross section have a shape closer to flat than to round. It is tactilely softer, compared to the needles of European spruce, cedar, pine or juniper. Another feature of this tree is that the main resin channels are concentrated in the bark, which is why resin nodes and sinuses often form there. Fir wood has the lowest hardness among conifers.
By the way! Fir resin is a time-tested, powerful bactericidal agent. It is not for nothing that it is invariably included in the recipes of various “Siberian balms”.
How to knit fir brooms correctly
The photo of a fir broom shows that it should be dense, neat and even enough to be convenient for steaming. The correct knitting algorithm looks like this:
- the collected branches are inspected for cracks, breaks and other damage, bad specimens are immediately thrown away;
- Thicker paws are placed in the middle, and thinner and more fragile shoots are placed along the edges;
- the lower ends of the branches, cleared of needles, are aligned so that they are located at the same level;
- the handle is tightly wrapped with twine; this must be done in two places at once so that the broom does not crumble or fall apart, otherwise it will be inconvenient to steam and use.
The finished broom should be quite voluminous, soft and elastic.
The knitted product is weighed in the hand and several test swings are made to evaluate the practical convenience. The tips of the branches can be trimmed a little if necessary. If there is no need to remake the fagot, it is hung with the handle up for storage or immediately lowered into water to steam.
How to store a fir bath broom
When not in use, the bundle should be kept in a well-ventilated area with low humidity. It is necessary to ensure that during storage the fir broom does not become damp and is not exposed to direct sunlight. Ultraviolet radiation negatively affects the beneficial substances in the composition of pine needles; essential oils are destroyed when the temperature rises.
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How to store a fir bath broom in winter
Ideally, fir brooms are recommended to be changed frequently. Over time, the useful substances in the needles become less and less, and steaming in the bath no longer brings a pronounced positive effect. But if you want to keep a fir broom for the whole winter until spring, you can use it immediately with the onset of the warm season. In addition, a good sauna can be lit on site during the cold season. In this case, the fagot left over from the summer will come in very handy, and you won’t have to urgently cut and steam the fresh one.
Fir spruce branches should be stored in winter in a warm room, preferably in a thick wrapper made of several layers of paper. Most often, a bath broom is wrapped on top in a clean cloth and placed in the refrigerator, if the size of the unit allows this.
In a country house, the fir product can be taken to the attic. The knitting is laid on the floor, sprinkled with dried aromatic herbs, or fixed in a vertical position on the wall.
For the winter, fir bundles can be hung in a warm barn with the handle up
The main condition for winter storage is that the fir bath broom should not be exposed to sudden changes in temperature and humidity. It should not be frozen, but the product should not be kept in a hot room either; the conditions should be moderate. As in all cases, spruce branches are not placed in the sun; winter ultraviolet radiation is still harmful to the needles.
How long are fir brooms stored?
The beneficial properties of fir broom do not last long. Over time, the needles begin to fall off, the bundle loses its shape, and the essential oils evaporate. If stored improperly in conditions of high humidity, spruce branches may also darken, which means that they have become damp and a new product needs to be knitted and steamed.
On average, a fir broom is suitable for use for about a year. In order for the product to last as long as possible, all care instructions must be followed.
How to store a fir broom after a bath
Immediately after finishing the massage in the steam room, the broom must be removed for temporary storage. To do this you should:
- rinse the product thoroughly;
- shake the broom several times so that moisture does not drain from it;
- hang the fir legs in a warm and dry place, but shaded from the sun's rays.
Important! It is strictly not recommended to leave the broom in the dressing room for a long time after hygiene procedures. In this case, it may become damp, lose its shape and acquire an unpleasant odor.
After bathing procedures, a fir broom should be rinsed in warm water.
Steaming methods
Fir branches are never prepared for future use for use in the bathing kingdom. Fir, like all conifers, is completely unsuitable for storage. Fir needles fall off very quickly. It is for this simple reason that you will not find coniferous brooms in retail sales. You can buy them either at the market or cut them yourself from the nearest tree.
According to the unwritten laws of nature, the best time to use fir branches is spring and summer. When nature wakes up from winter hibernation, fresh fir branches begin to grow. They are tender and completely soft; it is at this time that fir is most rich in useful, healing substances.
The simplest and most reliable method is to immerse thorny branches in a bowl of boiling water for 30 minutes. This can be done in advance, before going to the bathhouse. But, this method is more suitable for those who have their own bathhouse, but for visitors to the state-owned kingdom, the steaming time can be reduced to 15 minutes.
With such a long stay in hot water, the needles will, of course, become soft and tender, but they will also generously give up their healing properties to the water. Therefore, if you use this method of steaming a broom, do not throw out the water afterwards. This is medicinal water, you can put it on the heater, make a foot bath and just rinse.
This method is only suitable for owners of their own bath kingdom. In this case, the broom is soaked in long before going to the steam room - about three hours before the steam room. And the water should not be too hot - so that the “hand can tolerate it.” Then, just before use, the broom is “heated” over a hot heater.
Due to the fact that this tree is evergreen, logic dictates that the procurement of raw materials can be done almost all year round, based on specific circumstances and expediency. However, it should be considered that the highest concentration of useful biologically active substances occurs in the cold season, namely in the second half of December - February. This circumstance can be safely considered as a recommendation for practical use.
Fir for the bathhouse is harvested in the form of young, well-developed and evenly colored shoots 50 - 60 centimeters long, with a characteristic palmate shape. In winter, it is convenient to store harvested raw materials for future use on wooden, well-ventilated racks, protected from direct sunlight.
Note that the manufacture of brooms does not have any special technological nuances, and consists in the formation of a compact fan-shaped working part and a grippy handle, with a diameter of about 5 cm. The fastening of the shoots should be done with jute cord or a similar material that meets the requirements of moisture resistance and basic safety when using ready-made product.
Preserving prepared brooms in advance during the hot season involves maintaining a low temperature and sufficient humidity. Very often, this condition can be maintained in basements. The use of freezers seems to be an ideal solution, however, it is quite far from reasonable practical use.
Many inexperienced users wonder whether it is necessary to steam a fir broom before use. Of course yes! The thing is that it is quite tough, and if you have sensitive skin, or have no previous experience in using it, this is a must.
There are three steaming methods.
- Before going to the bathhouse, you need to brew a broom in boiling water for 15 minutes. After this time, the branches will become softer.
- The second method is more time-consuming and is suitable if you have several hours left. The broom needs to be soaked in warm water for 3 hours. This time will be enough for unnecessary rigidity to go away.
- This steaming method is suitable for those who love aromatic steam in a bathhouse. The fir bunch should be washed and placed in a container of boiling water for 6 minutes. Then put it on hot coal and dry it slightly. The main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise the needles will dry out and prick.
Contraindications
In principle, visiting the steam room is not allowed for everyone. In some conditions, a bath will do more harm, even if you steam a fragrant fir broom and follow all the rules of active massage. In particular, procedures should be abandoned if:
- diabetes mellitus;
- heart failure;
- hypertension;
- tuberculosis;
- inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system;
- pregnancy.
You can steam a fir bath broom only if there are no wounds or abrasions on the skin. Massage procedures in the steam room cannot be performed in case of infectious diseases of the epidermis.
Conditional contraindications for the bath also include alcoholic drinks and rich fatty foods. You need to steam a broom and go into a heated room while sober and a certain time after eating.
Is there an allergy from a fir broom?
Steaming fir for a bath is not always useful. For some people, the pine aroma causes severe allergies, and a negative reaction can occur directly during the steaming process. Redness of the skin when treated with a broom in a bath is a completely natural and inevitable phenomenon. But if the redness is accompanied by a characteristic rash, the eyes begin to water, a runny nose and swelling of the mucous membranes occurs, we can conclude that we are talking about an allergy. In this case, the procedure should be stopped and the fir branches should not be steamed in the future.
On a note
If you decide to try fir, you should know some nuances. Fir oil has a negative effect on the skin if it has fresh abrasions or damaged blood vessels. On an open wound, fir oil increases its pain.
An allergic reaction may occur, accompanied by itching. Therefore, you need to monitor your well-being. Pregnant women should avoid fir.
Now you know how to properly steam a fir bath broom. You know how to dry and store it so that it does not lose its medicinal properties. Follow all the recommendations and let the bathhouse become a pleasant procedure for you, aimed at improving the health of the whole body.
