How to steam a bath broom: birch, oak, fir, juniper, linden, eucalyptus

A bathhouse without a broom is not a bathhouse! But simply purchasing or making a bath broom is not enough: it is important to know how to use it. Start using a bath broom by steaming it. If you are not familiar with this process, but want to get acquainted, then this article is what you need. In it we will tell you how to properly steam a bath broom (birch, linden, juniper, eucalyptus, oak and fir).

Oak branches for a sauna 2. How to prepare birch branches 3. Eucalyptus branches for a sauna 4. Steaming a fir broom 5. Variation from juniper 6. Steaming a linden broom

Photo by ru.depositphotos: A visit to the bathhouse is not complete without this procedure!

How to steam an oak broom for a bath and extend its “life”

First you need to find out what branches your oak broom is made of. If you suddenly discover that it is made from fresh branches, then such a broom does not need to be parked. All you need to do before using an oak broom from fresh branches is to thoroughly clean them of dust and dirt. To do this, rinse it in a basin or running water.

Before steaming an oak broom, remember: this must be done so that the integrity of the leaf structure is not compromised. The broom should remain uniform and strong, the shoots should not become flabby and eventually become limp.

Before steaming, the oak broom must be soaked in plain water. You shouldn’t keep it there for a long time, a quarter of an hour is enough, during this time the broom should be placed in a basin or bucket with water heated to about +40 degrees. After this time, you need to add +60 degrees water to the container and turn the broom over to the other side every 15 minutes. You need to do this for an hour - this is the procedure.

If you don’t have time to wait, then you can literally bring the oak broom to readiness in just a few minutes, but for this you need a bath steamer. Fill the steamer with water, place a broom there for 5 minutes and transfer it to hot stones for a minute so that it is dry.

If you have planned a trip to the bathhouse in the evening, you can soak the broom in the morning:

It should be placed in water at room temperature for an hour.
Then place it in water heated to +60 degrees for an hour.
Then transfer to a bag, shaking off excess moisture.
In the bathhouse, just moisten it and place it on hot stones for a minute.

Note! If you want the broom to last as long as possible, you can place it in cold water for 9–11 hours before use. However, such a broom will contain a minimum of useful substances and you should not rely on their effects.

Photo pexels/cottonbro: It is better to pre-soak oak branches in cold water.

Steaming procedure

Steaming is a type of massage that is used to warm up the body and relax ligaments and muscles. Before steaming, a person lies down on his stomach, and a professional bathhouse attendant, friend or relative begins by lightly stroking the feet with brooms, and gradually reaches the head and hands. Then brooms lead in the opposite direction. They are passed along the sides using stroking movements. The procedure is repeated three to four times. Each lasts about a minute. After stroking movements, they begin lashing strokes. They cover the back from the shoulder blades to the lower back, then the legs. The quilting ends at the heels. The duration of the procedure is 1 minute.

The next step is more intense stroking movements that go over the back and legs. After they are completed, the person soaring turns over onto his back. The partner repeats the described techniques while maintaining the sequence of actions.

After stroking and quilting movements, begin light compresses using a broom. First the back is treated. The brooms are slightly lifted, as if capturing air, and 2-3 whip them over each part of the body separately. The brooms are lowered onto the body with the side that was facing upward and became hotter. The broom is pressed against the skin for 2-3 seconds. The procedure is performed over the entire surface of the body, starting with the shoulder blades and ending with the shins. Such compresses relax tense muscles, relieve their tone, and improve blood flow.

Following the compress on the feet, brooms are applied to the lower back and at the same time slowly directed in different directions like scissors - to the head and feet. The reception is carried out 4-5 times. The person soaring turns over onto his back and this technique is repeated again. After the fifth time, the body is allowed to rest. In subsequent visits to the pair, the procedure can be repeated if desired. It doesn't hurt to use aromatic substances that can be sprayed on the shelves. The mixture is made up as follows: 20 aromatic drops per 3 liters of water. The bath attendant is not a stoker. He must be able to control brooms, steam and heat. In this case, the healing effect is enhanced many times over.

How to steam a eucalyptus broom for a bath: useful tips

You can steam a eucalyptus bath broom in several different ways, each of which is quite effective and allows you to preserve all its medicinal qualities:

Method number 1. The simplest, but time-consuming. It is necessary to pour hot water into a basin, and then place the part of the broom that is covered with leaves into the water. You need to steam it for ten minutes and then transfer it to cold water. Such procedures must be repeated three times. After this steaming, the eucalyptus broom will be completely ready for use. You should not throw away used water: it has a number of medicinal properties. It is better to slowly pour it onto the heater and breathe in the beneficial steam. You can rinse with this water; it will disinfect your skin and improve the condition of your hair.
Method number 2. Faster option. All you need is to take a deep basin and pour boiling water into it, then place a eucalyptus broom in the boiling water and leave it for forty minutes. After this time, you can remove it and use it. The steaming water can also be used for rinsing or added to the heater.

On a note. Eucalyptus brooms can be used in combination with birch or oak brooms. This increases the massage effect, and the eucalyptus broom will last longer.

Photo by ru.depositphotos: You can put to good use not only such a broom, but also used water.

Frequent mistakes when procuring raw materials

Often, inexperienced bathhouse attendants unknowingly make a number of mistakes:

The shoots are cut off quite early or, on the contrary, too late. This affects the quality.
Early assembly will make the twigs brittle. Such twigs cannot be used as a bath broom.
Summer is the optimal time for cutting shoots.
It is not recommended to dry raw materials in the sun. Otherwise, the brooms will turn out shapeless, weakly smelling and have an unsightly faded color.
You cannot dry the shoots in wet weather or after rain, this will lead to the brooms becoming moldy, and as a result they will have to be thrown away.
For proper preparation, the raw materials must be absolutely dry.

If you comply with all assembly and drying conditions, you can get not only beautiful, but also fragrant bath brooms. High quality raw materials retain their properties for two years.

How to steam a fir broom in three popular ways

You can steam a fir broom in one of three popular ways:

Method number 1. 4 hours before going to the bathhouse, you need to place the broom in warm water. All this time it should be in water of about +45 degrees. Add hot water periodically to keep the temperature from dropping.
Method number 2. You need to put a fir broom in a basin, pour boiling water over it, close the basin with a lid and leave it for a quarter of an hour. This is an accelerated method for steaming a fir broom for a bath, but also very effective.
Method No. 3. Ideal when there is absolutely no time to prepare. It is necessary to rinse the broom well, place it in boiling water for five minutes, and then dry it on hot coals. Then you can use it.

Best time to collect

Once the tree has been selected, the following rules for assembling raw materials must be followed:

The optimal time for assembling twigs is early morning. The main thing is that the dew has time to dry well.
It’s good if the weather is sunny, clear and warm.
You cannot collect raw materials in rainy and cloudy weather, as this will later affect the quality of the brooms.
It is good to use sharp pruning shears for cutting.
Branches should be one and a half meters long.
Large burdocks indicate that the place is environmentally friendly, so their presence is a very good sign.
The tree must be at least 2 years old.
To collect raw materials, you should choose trees growing at higher elevations and in partial shade.
Only side shoots can be cut off.

Any type of oak is suitable for harvesting, but shoots of the Caucasian species are considered the most valuable.

Steam a juniper bath broom in 3 steps

A juniper bath broom is usually steamed in one way. It is important to use fresh branches for the bath. If they are overdried or stored for a long time, then they will not be fully used: when steaming, the needles will simply fly off into the branches. A high-quality juniper broom is steamed as follows:

You must first soak it in a container, preferably a basin, in water at room temperature for 15 minutes.
After this, the juniper branches must be removed and the water thoroughly shaken off.
Fill the container with boiling water and place a juniper broom there for a quarter of an hour, closing the container with a lid. After that it can be used.

How to dry oak branches

The prepared brooms must be placed under a load for a while. This is necessary so that they acquire a flat shape. This will make them easier and more convenient to use.

And after this you can start drying the shoots; it also has the following rules:

The twigs should be tied and, having received a broom, hung on a rope.
For drying, you need to choose a dark and moderately cool place. You cannot overdry the shoots, otherwise they will lose all their beneficial qualities.
Raw materials should be reliably protected from exposure to sunlight.
In order for the brooms to dry well and evenly on all sides, they need to be turned over from time to time.
Properly dried brooms have a pleasant fragrant aroma and a beautiful green color.
It is ideal to dry brooms on clean, fresh hay, but in an apartment, a balcony is also suitable.

Severely overdried raw materials take much longer to steam than properly prepared specimens.

Steaming a linden broom for a bath

Linden is a rather soft and delicate tree, so it is necessary to steam the broom so that the leaves do not fly off during the steaming process:

Method number 1. To begin, rinse the broom with cold water, then pour water about +80 into a basin and place it there for 15 minutes. After this time, remove the broom and hold it over the hot steam of the oven for about a couple of minutes.
Method number 2. It is necessary to rinse the broom well in cold water, place it in a bowl of water about +90 degrees and cover with a lid for 15 minutes. Then you can use it and slowly pour the water onto the heater so that the linden aroma spreads throughout the sauna.

This is how you need to steam brooms for a Russian bath.

Photo by ru.depositphotos: Linden branches are processed at high temperatures. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Read other articles about the sauna: Choosing a stove for a sauna

Tips for building a bathhouse Wooden houses and bathhouses ______________________________________________________________________________________________ How do you soak a bath broom? Share your recommendations with other gardeners in the comments.