A broom is an integral attribute of a Russian bath. The most popular among steam room lovers are oak brooms, because they have many useful properties and are easy to prepare. Oak leaves and stems contain a high concentration of essential oils and tannins, which improve skin condition, accelerate the healing of wounds and microcracks, and have an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect. That is why bath lovers need to consider when collecting oak brooms and how to do it correctly in order to get maximum health benefits.
The benefits of oak brooms
The bark, leaves and buds of oak contain a large amount of essential oils, tannins and vitamins.
Regular use of an oak broom in a bathhouse promotes:
Healing wounds, abrasions and burns
Normalization of sweating
Strengthening the walls of blood vessels
Boosting immunity
Increased skin tone
Normalization of the nervous system
Substances contained in oak accelerate the regeneration process during the healing of purulent wounds and infected abrasions. Oak is recommended for people with skin diseases. It helps to narrow pores and normalize the activity of the sebaceous glands.
Oak broom has a pleasant, unobtrusive aroma. Essential oils contained in the leaves and buds help calm the nervous system. Moreover, this is a real godsend for hypertensive patients.
Another advantage of the oak broom is its lush crown and density. Thanks to these properties, it is much easier to pump steam.
Optimal time frame for harvesting branches
If we speak from the point of view of the bathhouse attendant, then brooms are knitted in the summer due to the beginning of flowering of the necessary plants and the abundant growth of herbs. The maximum effectiveness of a broom will be only when its foliage is fresh, juicy and exudes a pleasant lingering smell, while releasing various substances beneficial to the human body.
The correct timing for tying a bath broom is very important:
- if you cut off the branches early, then when steaming it will become slippery, and the leaves will break off;
- It is also impossible to be late in this process, since by autumn the foliage will begin to lose its strength.
If the optimal timing for starting mating is observed, then the service life of the broom will be long, and the foliage will not fall off during use. Sometimes bath attendants, when talking about when to prepare bath brooms, advise starting this process at least 2 weeks after Trinity, since the early holiday (in early June) takes place at a time when the young foliage has not yet gained its strength.
When to prepare raw materials for oak brooms?
In order for an oak broom to please you during bath procedures, when preparing raw materials it is important to adhere to strict rules and canons :
For a fresh broom, you need to collect branches before June 15
This product is softer, more flexible and aromatic. Young leaves contain a large amount of useful trace elements and tannins.
For winter storage, raw materials are harvested in July
It is believed that brooms harvested in July are more durable and resistant to long-term storage.
Collect raw materials in warm, dry weather before lunch
The branches must be dry and free of dew. If it is foggy or lightly drizzling outside, it is best to postpone the harvesting of branches until a more appropriate time.
The length of the branches must be at least 50 cm
Pay attention to young and flexible branches, without signs of damage or disease. Collect from young trees that reach 3 meters in height.
Depending on the region, procurement dates may shift by 1-2 weeks. However, it is important to remember that you should not collect branches for a broom after frost. Since such a broom will quickly crumble, and the benefits of its use will be minimal.
Important! You can collect raw materials from both regular and Canadian oak trees. The most important thing is that the branches are collected in an ecologically clean area, away from the city, highways and highways.
Procurement time
You can start preparing oak brooms for a bath in the second half of June.
Experienced herbalists recommend collecting oak raw materials immediately after the church holiday of Trinity - at this time the shoots of the tree are already becoming quite strong. Branches that are too thin are useless for bath procedures, since they have not yet “gained strength” and contain a minimum of useful substances
Time to prepare brooms from different plants:
| Type of broom | Procurement time |
| Oak | June August |
| Birch | Early to mid July |
| Juniper | Late May-mid July |
| Wormwood | July-October |
| Lime | July August |
It is best to go collecting oak shoots in the second half of June or July. Raw materials are also harvested in August-September, but only under dry and warm weather conditions. But you need to take into account that the quality of such brooms will be significantly inferior to those of June.
In the autumn months, oak branches are not harvested. At this time, the tree begins a period of rest - metabolic processes slow down, leaves and shoots become more brittle and fragile. After the first frost, the beneficial properties of oak raw materials are completely lost.
Note: Harvesting oak brooms should be carried out during the period of active sap flow, when the leaves contain the maximum amount of useful substances.
How to tie an oak broom correctly?
As soon as you bring the branches home, they need to be properly prepared for preparing brooms. Under no circumstances should raw materials be piled up and left in the sun. Otherwise, the green mass will quickly deteriorate.
So, to prepare the right broom you need to adhere to the following rules:
Inspect the collected branches
Remove unnecessary leaves and twigs from the bottom. If there are damaged leaves, they also need to be removed.
Dry the raw materials
Place the prepared branches on the table, floor or newspapers in a dry, well-ventilated area. It is very important that they are not exposed to sunlight. Lay out the raw materials in one layer.
Fold the broom correctly. Before collecting the broom, each twig needs to be shaken a little. Only after this can you start knitting.
Oak broom knitting technology
Knitting an oak broom is quite simple. With a little skill, you will have the perfect product.
Experienced bathhouse attendants advise adhering to the following rules:
- Align branches at the same height. This way you will achieve the desired density and strength of the broom. You need to level it along the top leaves.
- Place thicker branches in the center . They will play the role of the base. To make the broom soft and flexible, it is enough to use 3-4 dense branches.
- Place young and flexible branches along the edges. You should end up with a bouquet. However, make sure that the broom is comfortable to hold in your hands. It should not be too thick or, conversely, excessively flimsy. The thickness of the resulting handle should not exceed 50 mm.
- Tie the bottom with twine. This should be done directly under the leaves in two places. If you do not plan to use the broom right away, you do not need to knit the handle too tightly, as the raw material may not dry out. You will make it denser when the brooms are completely dry and ready for storage.
- Trim the handle with pruning shears. Trim the protruding branches with pruning shears, again remove all interfering twigs and branches. Make sure the broom fits comfortably in your hands.
- Remove the workpiece under pressure. Place the tied broom under pressure for 1-2 days. The load should not be very heavy, as this can lead to deformation of branches and leaves. The presence of oppression is necessary so that the broom takes the correct flat shape and its leaves stop fluffing.
The brooms prepared in this way are removed from under the yoke and hung in a dark, dry and well-ventilated room. Do not place them too tightly, as they may rot.
Important! Make sure that the workpieces are not exposed to sunlight, as in this case the foliage on the dried brooms will be very fragile and brittle.
If you plan to use the broom in a “fresh” form, the knitting procedure will be approximately the same. However, in this case, the handle is immediately knitted very tightly, and the procedure of holding it under pressure is skipped.
Choosing the right oak
When collecting oak shoots for bath brooms, you need to pay special attention to the tree. The most valuable and useful are brooms made from ordinary, Caucasian or Canadian oak.
It is advisable to prepare brooms for a healing bath from small young oak trees, up to 2-4 m high, with a thick and spreading crown. They have elastic branches and small leaves. Powerful trees with a height of more than 8-10 m have too strong and hard shoots that are not suitable for making bath brooms.
To ensure that the raw material is of high quality and useful, it is best to look for oaks from deciduous forests away from noisy highways, cities and industrial enterprises. The most useful are shoots from trees growing deep in forests and oak groves, away from direct sunlight.
Basic rules for cutting oak shoots:
When is fern harvested in the Irkutsk region?
- A sign indicating a high-quality tree with beneficial properties is large and fleshy burdocks growing right under it.
- Carefully inspect the oak foliage - it should be healthy, with a uniform green color. If a tree has twisted, rotten or insect-infested leaves, its shoots should not be used for brooms.
- The crown of the tree should also appear healthy with no signs of damage from insects or diseases.
- Bath brooms are best made from shoots with small, elastic leaves.
- It is necessary to cut shoots from one tree only once a year. Thanks to this, new, young branches will appear on the oak tree next year.
- It is most convenient to cut branches from the bottom of the tree. Their length should be at least 50-55 cm.
Note: Experienced herbalists claim that the most useful and healing bath brooms are those collected from oak trees growing in oak forests, and not from single trees.
Methods for storing oak bath brooms
You can store a broom in two ways: dry or frozen.
Freezing an oak broom
Freezing allows you to use a fresh broom at any time of the year.
At the same time, the product retains a maximum of nutrients and the pronounced aroma of fresh oak leaves. However, for this it is necessary to properly freeze the raw materials. To avoid mistakes, follow these rules:
- Only fresh branches that have been stored in a cut state for no longer than a day are suitable for freezing.
- The prepared raw materials must be well dried and clean.
- For greater safety, the broom can be wrapped in cling film. Make sure that the broom lying in the freezer is not pressed by other products.
In this way, the workpiece can be stored for a very long time. However, it is best to use a broom in the first 6-8 months.
Important! You need to defrost the broom on the day of visiting the bathhouse. This cannot be done in advance.
To defrost, take out the workpiece, remove the film (if there was any) and place the broom on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. In winter, you can take the product to the balcony or put it in any other cool room. Make sure that the broom is not exposed to sudden temperature changes.
Interesting! Oak is the most suitable option for freezing, as it has fairly dense and durable leaves. However, it is best to steam a thawed broom over steam rather than in boiling water.
How to store dry brooms?
To ensure that the broom retains its properties, remember a few simple rules:
- It is best to store brooms in a suspended state.
- For storage you need to choose a dark, dry, well-ventilated room.
- Make sure that the workpieces are not exposed to water or sunlight.
You can store dry raw materials in the dressing room or attic. Don't be afraid that the broom will freeze in winter. Dried products are not afraid of sub-zero temperatures.
Best place to store
When choosing a place for long-term storage of bath brooms, you can choose the following options:
- Attic. Suitable for placing a variety of products in winter. But to protect against high humidity and too low temperatures, the roof must be insulated. In summer, when the under-roof space gets very hot, you should find another place for storage.
- Barn. To maintain the characteristics of the product, you should make sure that there are no strong odors. Therefore, toxic substances such as fuel, gasoline or paints should not be stored in the shed.
In the absence of a private house and barn, it is worth considering how to store birch brooms in an apartment. The best option is to place them in boxes with ventilation holes, with a small amount of newspaper placed as a layer.
Important! Storing a sauna in a steam room is not recommended - there is a risk of drying out and loss of basic characteristics. Do not place products near pipes and chimneys - this increases the risk of fire.
Methods for steaming oak brooms
There are several ways to steam oak brooms. Everyone chooses the most suitable option for themselves.
Let's look at them in more detail:
Express steaming method
Best suited for “young” green brooms. In this case, the broom fan is dipped into cold water for 5 minutes, and then abruptly transferred to boiling water and kept in the same way for 5 minutes. After this, the broom is ready for use.
Steaming the whole broom
In this case, the broom is dipped in cold water for a few minutes and rinsed. After this, the product is completely immersed in a bowl of boiling water and covered with a lid for 10 minutes. There is no need to hold it longer, as the broom will become limp.
Softening a very dry broom
If the workpiece is very dry, the situation can be corrected as follows: hold the broom for 10-15 minutes in warm water. After this, take it out, shake it and hold it over hot stones for 5 minutes.
Soaking in cold water
Suitable for dry and fresh brooms. Helps the aroma to develop more brightly. To do this, the prepared broom is completely immersed in cold water. It is best to do this early in the morning, and remove it from the water in the evening, before the bath. Next, the broom is wrapped in a thick wet cloth and left on the shelf for 20-30 minutes.
Hardening the broom
Makes branches more flexible. Most often used for dry preparations. To do this, pour two containers of water: boiling water and very cold. The product is lowered into each container and held for 1 minute. After 2-3 times, the broom is steamed in the traditional way.
Important! The water in which the broom was steamed can be used to create steam. It is rich in valuable microelements and vitamins.
Magical properties of a broom: signs
- In Rus', the broom was treated with respect and distrust at the same time. After all, on the one hand, a broom is the same broom, which is a means of transportation for all witches, but a broom can also sweep away evil spirits, negative energy and dirt from the house.
- Also, the magical properties of the broom have long been used to resist demons. By placing the broom with the handle down, the path for the penetration of evil forces was closed.
- If the guest, in the opinion of the owners, had an eagle eye, then after leaving they would throw a broom after him.
- A broom also helped with quarrels and disappearances in the house, for which someone else’s brownie was blamed. They just needed to knock on the threshold.
The magical properties of a broom
- The magical properties of the broom also contributed to the treatment of diseases. Especially if this broom is a bath broom. In Russia, the most popular was a birch broom, which was prepared on Trinity Day. Such a broom was not only a talisman, but also an excellent healer in the bathhouse.
- In Ancient China, by the way, there was a goddess of the broom, who, according to the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire, commanded the weather.
- The Aztecs also worshiped the goddess Tlazolteotl, who, in their opinion, swept away all vices and sins from their homes.
- In England, houses are not swept after sunset. Because people believe that in this way they sweep good luck out of their homes.
Features of oak broom massage
Massage with an oak broom is carried out according to strict rules.
First of all, you need to remember:
- The massage starts from the feet and gradually moves up the body.
- Above the lumbar region, you can grab the steam with a fan and press it for a few seconds.
- Alternate light pats with rubbing the entire body.
- Avoid sudden movements and strong impacts.
An oak broom is used in a steam room with an air temperature of around +60 degrees. Massage should be performed only on the second approach to visiting the steam room. During the first session, you simply warm up the body and prepare the body for the upcoming procedure.
Important! A high-quality and properly prepared oak broom can be used 2-3 times.
A broom at the door, threshold: a sign
- After the house has been cleaned, as mentioned earlier, the broom should be placed near the threshold with the rods up. This attribute in this position will protect you from the evil spirit.
- In addition, this advice contains practical aspects, because when turned upside down, the rods do not deform and dry out well.
- Some people who especially believe in omens also hang the broom with the handle down. In this way they pay respect to a valuable magical household item.
- But by hanging a broom at the threshold with the handle up, you will also scare away an evil person. Perhaps because he simply won’t understand why you did this and won’t risk entering.
How to store a broom after use?
Since the broom can be used repeatedly, after bathing procedures it is important to properly prepare it for subsequent storage.
To do this you need:
- Rinse the broom in cool water to remove soap and scum.
- Shake the product to shake off excess liquid.
- Carefully straighten the branches of the product.
- Hang the broom in a warm, dry room with good ventilation
Under no circumstances should you dry a broom in a steam room or near a stove. Firstly, a dried out broom can catch fire from the heat of the stove. Secondly, this way it loses all its beneficial properties. Never store wet brooms!
An oak broom can be an excellent helper in a steam room. It has a beneficial effect on the body, strengthens the immune system and calms the nervous system.
What is better - buy or make it yourself?
This is the first question that most beginners ask when visiting a Russian bathhouse. You can answer this in different ways:
- Of course, buy it, what's the difference?..
- In no case! Only a personally tied and dried broom!
We believe that if going to the bathhouse is a one-time experiment or just a health and hygiene procedure for you, a purchased broom will be just right. Moreover, you can buy it directly in the bathhouse, and it’s not that expensive.
It’s another matter if visiting a bathhouse is something more: immersion in a cultural layer, a collective tradition, a component of comprehensive wellness, or a new hobby. This is where it is worth paying tribute to the fascinating activity of collecting material for bath brooms, preparing it, knitting the brooms themselves, drying them and preparing for the bath procedure. And exactly in the described sequence. And now we’ll tell you how to do all this correctly.
Question answer
Why did most of the leaves fall off a dry broom?
Most likely, the broom drying technology was violated. Perhaps it is too dry. Poor quality raw materials may also be the cause.
Is it possible to prepare raw materials for fresh brooms in August or September?
If the weather is warm outside and the foliage on the oak tree is still dense and green, you can make fresh preparations. However, you should not cut branches after the first frost.
Is it possible to soar children with an oak broom?
Yes, an oak broom is suitable for this purpose. However, all movements should be light and smooth. Children over 3 years old can be taken to the steam room.
What to do if a stored broom becomes moldy?
You need to get rid of this broom urgently. Do not use it in a steam room under any circumstances, as it is hazardous to health.
Is it possible to store dry brooms in a box at home?
Yes, you can. However, care must be taken to create high-quality ventilation. The brooms themselves are best packaged in plastic bags.
New broom: signs and conspiracies for money
A broom can not only cure diseases, but also attract money into the house. And to do this you need to listen to the advice below:
- Buy a broom on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday. When you get home, place it with the handle facing up.
- If you use a vacuum cleaner, then this is not a reason not to buy a broom. But it can be decorative. It should also be hung in the kitchen with the handle down.
- A broom should be bought not only on men's day, but also from a man. At home, tie it with green ribbon.
- Scatter the change around the house and let it sit for 24 hours.
After the day has passed, you need to put the money into a scoop. By the way, it should also be green. At this moment say:
Money plot
- Now this change needs to be placed in the left corner of the room where you keep your savings.
- After 3 days, put the change in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. It should never be opened.
- Using the broom for its intended purpose, at the end of the work, place it with the handle up where the coins were.
