Bath brooms now, as before, receive special attention. It is simply impossible to imagine a bathhouse without them, since it will no longer be her, but something else. In fact, steamers are deprived of the emotional and healing effect, so you need to know when to prepare brooms for a bath and how to do it.
But only the correct preparation of brooms for a bath, when all the conventions are met, can be beneficial - help you improve your health and get real pleasure from the procedures. Otherwise, you will simply “whip” yourself with wooden branches, and even damage your skin. This is not just a bath tool, it can be called a complex design, the foundation of which is laid at the stage when it is necessary to prepare brooms for the bath.
“Tools” for the steam room
The deadline for preparing brooms for a bath is very important and cannot be missed. Only then can you get from them the benefits that every steam bather expects.
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During the period when brooms are prepared for the bathhouse, almost all parts of the plant - leaves, buds, thin branches - begin to be filled with useful medicinal substances.
In addition, they are obtained:
- durable;
- elastic;
- soft,
and the leaves on the branches will hold on as tightly as possible. Such a “tool” will be able to withstand more than one steam room, which is also important.
When are birch brooms prepared for a bath?
The brooms are prepared depending on the type of plant from which the bath accessory is planned to be made. Traditionally, harvesting begins on Trinity Day, the date of which is floating:
- In 2015 it falls on May 31st.
- In 2016, Trinity Day is celebrated on June 19th.
- In 2022, the holiday falls on June 4th.
Birch broom
The first 2 weeks after Trinity, as folk wisdom says, are the most favorable for the procurement of raw materials. The leaves on trees and plants have accumulated juice and contain a high concentration of nutrients.
Depending on the plant species, the broom has a number of distinctive characteristics.
Linden bath broom and nettle broom: beneficial properties and preparation time
The linden broom can be diluted with branches of alder, rowan or willow. Such a broom is prepared from the first days of July to the beginning of August, choosing trees that grow away from the industrial zone. A linden broom strengthens the skin, improves sweating, and helps relieve headaches.
Linden broom
The nettle bath broom is truly healing. It is used to treat joint pain, break up salt deposits, skin diseases and muscle weakness. Nettles are harvested before or during flowering - this is approximately mid-summer. Remember that nettle broom can be used once; if you want to treat radiculitis with it, then stock up on medicinal herbs during the season.
Advice! To prevent the nettle from stinging, give the broom a contrast bath by immersing it in boiling water for 3 minutes, then in cold water for 3 minutes, repeating these steps 2-3 times. To enhance the effect, steam the broom in boiling water and use immediately.
Common Mistakes
Inexperienced bath attendants, when preparing brooms for a bath for the first time, often make mistakes. This happens due to a lack of experience, necessary knowledge and skills. It is possible to prevent such problems if you study other people’s common mistakes:
- The collection of birch branches is not carried out in a timely manner: too early or late. This subsequently reduces the quality of the finished products.
- Birch branches are cut on a rainy day or before noon, when the dew on the leaves has not yet dried.
- The process of knitting prepared raw materials is disrupted.
- The requirements for drying technology are not met: the bundles are exposed to the negative influence of the sun.
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When preparing brooms for a bathhouse, only a few strictly comply with all the requirements. To prevent the mistakes described above, it is worth following all stages of the technological process and storing finished products correctly.
Important! After the first frost, harvesting plant materials (cutting birch branches) is strictly not recommended. In any case, it will only be a waste of time.
When are oak brooms prepared, and what are they used to treat?
An oak broom is a magical remedy for oily skin, reducing the number of rashes and reducing the intensity of skin secretions. Regular use of an oak broom in a bath will give the skin matte and freshness.
Oak broom
Proper preparation allows you to use a broom from this breed 3 times. The procurement of raw materials begins in mid-August, continuing until mid-September.
Advice! For oak bath brooms, trees are selected under which burdock grows. It is believed that the leaves will not fall off during use.
How and when to harvest birch brooms
For the procurement of raw materials, birch trees growing in wet lowlands are selected. Preparations begin to be collected after Trinity until August 2 (Ilyin’s Day). It is better to cut branches from a young birch tree that has not yet had time to become covered with buds. The branches should be young and flexible, and their length should be about half a meter.
1 birch broom takes about 20-30 branches, which are folded in the shape of a fan so that the leaves lie in the same direction. At the base, the broom is tightly tied with natural rope; remember that the branches will dry out and must initially be firmly fixed. It is best to tie the broom in two places.
The broom has restorative properties, relieves muscle pain after a long workout, heals wounds and soothes irritated skin. Using a birch broom, lung diseases are “knocked out”, which is especially useful for smokers.
How to knit bath brooms correctly: general recommendations
Fans of bathing procedures tie brooms as needed, and the collected raw materials are folded in layers so that the upper branches protect the middle ones. Such a sheaf is placed in a barn or on a warm balcony, covered with hay or natural fabric. Direct knitting is done as follows:
Tie the broom tightly before drying
- The branches are selected according to length and laid. Thicker branches are placed inside, thin ones frame the broom. Where the handle will be, the branches are leveled, sharp branches are removed from them.
- A cord is applied and the broom is pulled together.
- Next, a knot is knitted and a handle is formed. The handle is made using twine, then the ends of the branches are additionally wrapped with fabric, which will protect the bathhouse attendant’s hands from calluses.
The size of the broom is a matter of taste, but it should not be less than 40 cm and no more than 80 cm. Otherwise, using the broom will simply be inconvenient.
Correct knitting
After timely collection of high-quality plant raw materials, its assembly is carried out. When preparing brooms, the following rules are usually followed:
- Knitting is made from elastic, flexible twigs with well-developed leaves. All insufficiently blossomed, damaged leaves are removed in advance.
- The branches must have more than two branches so that the finished bundle is voluminous and thick enough.
- For assembly, you need to take branches about 50 cm long and no more than 5 mm thick.
- The diameter of the handle of the finished product cannot be more than 6 cm.
- Knitting is performed immediately after harvesting the brooms. This will prevent their premature deformation and drying out.
- The recommended handle length is 15 cm. High quality products are ensured by multiple ligation of branches with twine near the foliage: a handle with a free end is much more convenient to use. It does not slip out even with intense movements.
Advice! For knitting brooms, a rope is used, with which it is easy to form a comfortable handle. This will prevent damage to the surface of your hands when using the finished product.
How to properly dry finished brooms?
Drying is done outside, but the brooms are hung in the shade. In direct sunlight, the leaves curl, wither, and lose their color and aroma. After steaming an “overheated” broom, all the leaves will fall off and empty vines will remain.
It is most preferable to hang brooms on the veranda or under trees on a simple rope. Note that drafts also have a negative impact on broom branches. After drying, the brooms are removed, folded tightly together and sent for storage. As a result, the broom becomes flattened and during bathing procedures one gets the feeling that it is “hugging the body.”
The healing effects of birch branches
In Russian steam rooms, fragrant birch brooms are most in demand. After all, the branches of this tree are quite flexible, the leaves do not lose their elasticity even after drying. The described characteristics are preserved only when the process of cutting branches and drying them is carried out properly.
During paired procedures, healing leaves come into contact with the human body, absorb sweat and waste products, as a result of which the pores are effectively cleansed. Subsequently, the skin breathes well and intensively absorbs beneficial components. Typically, a birch bath broom is used at the very beginning of the steaming process, so that the medicinal plants used later have a better effect.
The buds preserved on the branches contain various essential oils, flavonoids, biologically active substances, resins, and bitterness. The opened leaves are rich in acids, carotene, saponins, phytoncides, and other valuable substances. Such natural components cleanse and prepare the body for further therapeutic measures.
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As a rule, the following beneficial effects of a birch broom for a bath on a person are observed:
- the skin is cleansed of toxic substances, dead cells, acne;
- blood supply and lymph flow improves;
- muscle and joint pain disappear (with excessive physical exertion, the presence of rheumatism);
- the risk of exacerbation of allergies is reduced;
- the functioning of the nervous system is normalized;
- The body's resistance to respiratory diseases increases.
In order to get the maximum benefit from the healing bath procedure, the preliminary preparation of brooms for the bath must be carried out correctly, with the obligatory observance of all requirements and useful recommendations.
How to steam bath brooms correctly?
Steaming determines the hardness of the broom, and it is carried out in very hot water, but not in boiling water. To obtain stiffness, the broom is dipped in a basin of water for 15-20 minutes, and for lovers of soft brooms, it recommends 40-50 minute steaming. After this procedure, the broom is slightly dried by hanging it over the stove. Bathhouse attendants recommend keeping the broom in cold water for about 20 minutes, and then sharply immersing it in hot water.
Important! The water in which the broom is steamed receives some of the beneficial properties, so it is used for aromatic steam in the bathhouse, rinsing hair and bathing.
If you have overdried the broom, then before using it, you should cover it overnight with a damp towel or put it in a container of cool water.
