What to take with you to the bathhouse - list of necessary supplies

The day you sweat, the day you don’t grow old. (Russian proverb)

Going to the bathhouse is a serious matter, it requires preparation and experience, and knowledge of some tricks. The noble Bath Attendant will share the secrets of light steam, good mood and the rules of bath etiquette and “fashion”.

• To the steam room without haste and fuss! There is no benefit from steaming in a hurry; a bathhouse is a holiday, a pleasure and a healer. Set aside a few hours, or even an evening, in your schedule for this ritual.
• Choosing a bathhouse Among the many bathhouses, everyone will find their ideal one. The Finnish sauna is hot and dry, the eastern (Turkish) hammam is with wet and soft steam, the Russian bath is universal - both in terms of steam and degree of heating.
• There is only a shower or a swimming pool in front of the steam room. Set aside the washcloth and soap for later. You should prepare for a visit to the steam room by standing under a warm shower for several minutes. You can swim in the pool for 15-20 minutes, if possible. This way the muscles become toned, improving the benefits of the steam room. And it’s better not to get your hair wet; usually a bath cap is slightly moistened.
• In a sauna with a pillow It is better to steam while lying down, relaxing and forgetting about everything. People who understand comfort will choose a felt pillow instead of a hard wooden headrest.
• Rule of a safe bath A good bathhouse attendant warns guests and resolutely will not allow razors, alcohol, or even glass bottles with essential oils and gels to be brought into the steam room.
• Nothing extra. Believe the people's experience: before taking a steam bath, watches, glasses, and all jewelry must be removed. They can deteriorate and burn you inadvertently.
• Give me a couple! You should splash on the stones to produce steam with boiling water or a hot infusion of herbs with oils and aromatic additives, water with kvass and beer. The stones are not poured, but served in small portions, at the very heat of the stove. Hear a pop from the stones - this is a sure sign of light, soft steam. But in order not to get burned by a wave of hot air, you need a ladle with a long wooden handle.
• After the steam , we took a steam bath, warmed up under the brooms, now move to the lower shelves. The pulse will calm down a little, the head will clear, then you can leave the steam room. Moderation and restlessness in the bathhouse are the key to health.

How to dress for a bath?

Someone will laugh that it is more correct to undress in a bathhouse. A noble bathhouse attendant recognizes steam room lovers among all visitors by the correct form of clothing - comfortable, loose and natural.

• Let's start with slippers . Comfortable and hygienic shoes for the bathhouse, made from the same felt, sometimes with a waffle top and a bamboo insole! In the warmth and moisture of even the cleanest bathhouse, it is not flowers that bloom, but fungi. Slippers are your protector against mycosis of the feet and nails.
• Take care of your head! The main rule is not to get heatstroke, so it is worth having a felt hat in your bath wardrobe. It will also protect your hair from dryness, which is why it is especially loved by women. Size matters: ideally, the hat fits freely on the head without constricting it. For children, a felt cap or hat is a must! For those who forgot about a hat, I strongly recommend making a comfortable turban from a waffle towel.
• A sheet and a towel are a classic bath couple. You can wrap yourself in a sheet and lay it on the shelves - against burns and fungi. And the towel is already warming up, waiting for the owners in the dressing room. You can't find a better material than cotton. It absorbs moisture, is pleasant to the body, and dries quickly.

• Bathing suit - men's and women's A men's kilt for men and a women's pareo will help you not to feel embarrassed or embarrassed, but to feel at ease and naturally in the bathhouse. They are put on in seconds and removed with an easy movement of the hand thanks to the fastening with elastic and Velcro. After the steam room, sitting in the relaxation area with tea or playing billiards, it’s nice to feel at your best in a wrap-around robe.

And the Noble Bath Attendant prepared a surprise: a branded design of waffle fabric, with funny inscriptions and drawings on a “bath theme”. With such a textile collection you can make an impression in any company!

Buckets and gangs

If a broom is used in the bathhouse, then you also need a container where it is steamed, that is, pre-soaked with water. In addition to steamers, other containers are also needed - buckets and buckets - they are filled with cold water for dousing. Contrasting water douches are a well-known hardening method, thanks to which you can diversify bath procedures and improve your health.

Steamers are usually made from oak, ash, pine or linden wood. Linden, pine and cedar are used for gangs. Containers vary in volume; it is rational to use those that hold at least 10 liters of water. Despite the fact that wood is a strong and durable material, constant contact with water and temperature differences contribute to its rapid wear. You need to choose high-quality bath accessories and properly care for them. All cooperage products must be scalded with boiling water and dried, stored away from the firebox. Wooden containers look stylish and fit perfectly into any bath design. An alternative to wood is plastic buckets and basins.

The dousing bucket can be mounted on the wall - such a device makes it possible to freshen up after the steam room. Just pull the chain and you will be doused with water from head to toe. To extend the service life of such dousing devices, the internal cavity of the bucket is made of plastic or stainless steel.

Broom is the best currency for entering the bathhouse

It's a popular truth: the only thing better than a broom in a bathhouse is two brooms! The broom will massage and steam, and release the aroma with beneficial substances. But what kind of broom is a matter of taste; the choice allows you to find an option for your soul and body.

Tip: Individual packaging will give you more natural flavors and preserve the integrity of the leaves. Never throw away the water after steaming the broom; you won’t find a better product for rinsing your body and hair after washing!

• A birch broom caresses the skin, clings to it, absorbs sweat and gives an anti-inflammatory effect.
• An oak broom is stronger and lasts longer. It draws in steam like a fan, ideal for powerful heating.
• Eucalyptus broom is a tropical guest in a Russian bath. Its oils work wonders, relieving colds and coughs, calming nerves and boosting immunity.
• Herbal broom - a pantry of useful properties in one bundle! Flowers and herbs are more tender than tree branches, but they fill the air, the water in which they were soaked, and the skin with aromas.

Secrets of the herbal broom

The most valuable herbs are wormwood and nettle.

Wormwood intoxicates with bitterness, relieves pain, acting as an analgesic, and clarifies memory.

Nettle is a green healer of joints, rheumatism and back pain, your own chiropractor in the bathhouse.

St. John's wort - heals nerves and strengthens the heart, heals the most complex skin diseases, heals wounds and relieves colds.

Currant and lemon balm are a vitamin cocktail for the skin with a fresh, invigorating aroma. They can lift your spirits and fight depression.

It is no coincidence that oregano is included in many cosmetic products. It nourishes the skin and turns on its renewal mechanism. The spicy smell of oregano helps with colds and bronchitis almost from the first steaming. And what an appetite after using it!

Chamomile is a modest field beauty and the queen of the home medicine cabinet! Calms the nerves and helps to forget about insomnia, relieves headaches and helps with women's ailments. Gently heals wounds and burns, psoriasis and neurodermatitis. Chamomile decoction and gentle stroking of the head with a broom is the first remedy for strengthening hair.

Mint – tender, refreshing soft. The menthol in mint gives it a bactericidal effect, relieving inflammation and eliminating acne. A mint broom relieves swelling in tired legs and energizes you. Mint in a steam room is very useful for colds, digestive problems, headaches and tense nerves.

Tip from a Noble Bath Attendant : when doing a massage with a broom, we move from the feet to the head, then back.

Working on mistakes in a steam room with brooms

What can’t you do when going to a bathhouse with brooms?

1. It is wrong to steam alone; you can strain relaxed muscles and joints. That’s why they call an experienced bathhouse attendant for help or take turns steaming each other.
2. The broom should not dry out: it is first steamed and then moistened in warm water. When the broom leaves dry out, they curl and fall off.
3. They do not whip with a broom with all their might; this is not punishment with rods. Learn broom massage techniques. Sometimes it’s enough to blow hot air towards the body; I regulate it with gentle movements.
4. Do not wave a broom zealously in a hot bath; the risk of getting burned by steam or drops of water is too great.

In skillful hands, a broom turns into a magic wand that gives health and pleasure.

Skin care cosmetics

When a person visits a bathhouse, here he can provide himself with benefits and pleasure. When staying in a steam room, the skin steams and the pores become wider, so it is recommended to use healthy mixtures at this time. They are quickly and easily absorbed into the skin. For example, you can use honey. It is applied to the skin using massage movements. After this procedure, the skin will be more elastic and smooth. In addition, honey will help get rid of toxins, calm the nervous system, and fight cellulite.

You can also take scrubs to cleanse the skin, and also pay attention to sea salt, crushed nuts with olive oil, and coffee grounds. Scrubs remove dead skin particles, leaving it cleaner and softer.

Fragrant steam, essential oils and natural soap

The bathhouse replaces a visit to the doctor, cosmetologists and massage therapists in a beauty salon. Very fashionable aromatherapy in the bath has a double effect:

1. Skillfully selected essential substances affect the body;
2. After a steam bath, the skin cleanses and opens the pores, now it’s time to nourish it with oils and masks.

Essential oils are fragrant, very concentrated extracts from the depths of plants. The dark bottles of the Aromatherapy collection contain viscous and delicate oils that are necessary in the bath for health and beauty.

• Coniferous series: Atlas cedar, juniper, Siberian fir.
• Spicy aromas: lemon balm, peppermint.
• Citrus fruits: grapefruit, orange.
• Exotic: eucalyptus.

Essential oils are dissolved in water: a few drops per ladle. To get a homogeneous solution, it is useful to add a little honey or sea salt to the water. This scented water is used to water wood walls or shelves, and soak brooms in it. But drops of undiluted ether burn on hot stones; this is one of the gross mistakes of using oils in a steam room.

Try to breathe through your mouth in the steam room: this way the steam, saturated with the resinous aroma of wood and essential oils, will warm the body from the inside. This method of heating is especially beneficial for respiratory diseases, colds and depressed mood.

Brooms

When talking about the traditions of the Russian bathhouse, one cannot help but remember the steaming broom first. Brooms are made from branches of leaf and coniferous trees; there are also grass brooms. The most popular options are made from birch, oak, linden and juniper. Depending on what plant the broom is collected from, the feeling of the procedure will change and its therapeutic effect will depend. For example, juniper brooms are called the best choice for those who need to prevent colds, birch has a general strengthening effect, and eucalyptus is recommended for all those suffering from respiratory diseases. It is worth trying several types of brooms to find the most pleasant and comfortable one for you.

Do you not use soap in the bath?

The noble bathhouse attendant agrees with this rule: soap is not allowed directly into the steam room itself, onto the wooden shelves. But after steam, in the washroom or under the shower - please

Beauty tip from the Noble Bath Attendant: bring honey to the bath. After steaming, apply it to your face and body, let it absorb, and then ask for a massage or rub with a silk exfoliating glove. This procedure is a wonderful alternative to salon wraps. Do you know that the birthplace of chalk peeling is oriental baths (hamam)?

In Rus' they washed with lye - a solution of stove ash. It cleaned well and was an excellent replacement for modern scrubs and peels. Pamper your steamed hair and skin with natural soap, without strong chemicals. The collection of the Noble Bathhouse Attendant contains only healthy products, such as soap produced by .

Its action is as wonderful as the names of the ingredients in this soap: coffee grounds and ground cinnamon, sweet orange and colored clay, crushed herbs and flowers, birch charcoal and cocoa, coconut, shea and neem oils. Solid particles act as a scrub and help get rid of dead epithelial cells. Oils provide delicate care, replacing masks and balms. By restoring elasticity to the skin, they provide it with hydration and nourishment.

Natural soap is gentle care for the skin and the secret of your freshness and charm.

What to take to the sauna: list of necessary things

Regular trips to the bathhouse or sauna perfectly strengthen the immune system and are very beneficial for health. To spend time in the steam room you will have to purchase a whole set of accessories. Some of them are used at a time, while others can be used for several years (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Be sure to take an individual set of clothes with you to the sauna

The main item you need to take with you is a broom. In larger saunas, a broom can be purchased on site, but many experienced steam room users prefer to bring their own. The therapeutic effect of the procedure depends on the tree branches from which the broom is made.

A broom is purchased separately for each visit to the steam room. It is also advisable to buy special mittens made of wool or canvas. They are usually sold with a cap.

Cloth

It is extremely important to choose the right clothes for the sauna:

1. Hat:
   This is usually made of felt or felt. The main function of such a cap is to protect your hair and head from extreme temperatures.
2. Towel:
   you need to take the largest (bath) towel. It is desirable that it be terry, because this material absorbs moisture well.
3. A sheet or robe:
   it is very convenient to wrap yourself in them after visiting the steam room in order to rest comfortably after the procedure.
4. Slippers:
   another mandatory attribute when visiting a sauna, especially a public one. It is very easy to catch fungus in places with high temperature and humidity, so you should choose shoes with closed toes. Even better is to buy special bath slippers made from natural materials.

Figure 2. For clothes in the sauna, you will need a towel, a hat, slippers and a robe.
To avoid accidentally getting burned on the bench and to comply with hygiene requirements, be sure to take a flannel or flannel bedding with you, or, in extreme cases, a second bedding (Figure 2).

Sets of things must be strictly individual for hygienic reasons.

Cosmetics

A visit to the steam room allows you not only to improve your health, but also to improve your appearance and provide a pronounced effect of skin care (Figure 3).

How to quench your thirst in the bathhouse?

Oh, how I want to drink in the bathhouse! This is because in the steam room the body critically loses water. If you want to lose weight, it would be good to limit yourself to drinking for two hours after the bath. Under no circumstances, even if you are overheated, do not grab cold drinks, especially with ice!

Before steaming, many connoisseurs drink warm or hot tea, a decoction of herbs and berries in small sips. In between visits to the steam room or during rest, when you have steamed and washed, you can drink, but in moderation. Alcoholic drinks are not popular in the bathhouse: they are insidious and dangerous when combined with hot steam. The body is not always ready to endure such extreme loads: they greatly increase blood pressure and significantly increase heart rate. So caution is in order here, take care of yourself.

Hit parade of bath drinks

• Tea - the head of all drinks in the bathhouse Before tea was brought to Russia from China and India, people drank herbal infusions. And the most respected were fireweed (fireweed) and linden blossom. They loved to treat themselves to sbitny - hot honey drinks with added spices. Teas were always accompanied by healthy (raspberry) and sour jams - from gooseberries and currants. Herbal decoctions contain a lot of useful substances and esters.

• Kvass is an original Russian drink. The bready and intoxicating spirit of kvass is created for the bathhouse. It invigorates and cheers, but is not harmful, which is typical for beer.

• Berry fruit drinks and natural juices No one will argue about the benefits of fresh juices; they are a storehouse of vitamins. Fruit drinks are the same juices diluted with sweet water. Maximum benefits from fruit drink with honey, mint leaves and a slice of lemon.

It is not particularly customary to eat in the bathhouse, although fruit on the table is welcome. Apples and pears, grapes and watermelon (in season) will quench your thirst and lift your spirits.

The noble Bath Attendant wishes you light steam, a bright mood, health and purity in body and heart!

Don't forget the washcloth

When carrying out basic and auxiliary bath procedures, it is difficult to do without a washcloth. A washcloth is used to cleanse the skin and perform a light tonic massage.

In the bath you need to use washcloths made of natural materials - loofah, bast and sisal.

Such products help improve blood circulation, gently cleanse and rejuvenate the skin. For young children and teenagers, it is better to use natural sea sponge.

In addition to the traditional washcloth, you can purchase a massage mitten. With its help, it is more convenient to massage all areas of the skin.

When performing individual bath procedures, it is recommended to purchase a medium-hard massage brush with a long handle. It is quite effective for self-massage.

What determines the size of the steam room?

This is the very first question that owners of country or private house plots ask themselves when drawing up a bathhouse project. It’s not easy to answer, since you have to consider and take into account a lot of factors. First of all, it is necessary to calculate the number of people who can be in the steam room at the same time. It is not necessary to consider peak situations when there are many guests in the house.

It is more correct to proceed from standard cases - the number of family members who can steam together. This is an important point, since it often happens that some people need a soft, gentle regime, while others like to steam harder and hotter.

In addition, it is important to take into account the size and power of the heater stove. For low-power stoves, it makes no sense to make large steam rooms - it will not be possible to achieve the required degree of heating. However, a furnace power reserve is also not needed - sometimes you need a large steam room that can accommodate several guests or relatives at the same time.

Another selection factor is the type of bath. Small rooms are typical for a sauna, but for a Russian bath it is better to have a larger steam room, where a person can not only sit, but also lie down, stretched out on a shelf to his full height. Otherwise, it is inconvenient to steam it with a broom, and this procedure in the concept of a Russian bath is basic and absolutely necessary.

Relationship between microclimate and steam room size

The microclimate in the steam room is, first of all, the state of the internal atmosphere. It affects people’s feelings and the degree of comfort when visiting. For example, the air humidity indicator should not be reduced, otherwise the user will begin to cool down instead of warming up.

Expert opinion

Lovkachev Boris Petrovich

Bath master who knows everything about steaming

If the humidity is reduced by about half, the moisture will begin to intensively evaporate from the human body, and his skin will cool down. For more effective control, experienced bathhouse owners have 2 thermometers installed in the steam room - one dry, the other wet. The first shows the air temperature, and the second, wrapped with a piece of wet cloth at the bottom, shows the surface temperature of the users’ body.

The dimensions of the steam room in this context have the most direct meaning. Microclimate parameters are highly dependent on each other. If the size of the steam room is too large, the dissipated thermal energy from the stove begins to spread unstably. It becomes more difficult to obtain a balanced distribution of heat from all three sources, and fuel costs and time to warm up the room will increase sharply.

Therefore, the size of the steam room is considered to be the main indicator that requires competent calculation. It is necessary to limit its value and exclude the occurrence of a cold zone, where thermal energy from the furnace spreads with a noticeable lag.

At the same time, the technical indicators of the heating source itself are not the primary factor here - if the room is narrow and long, the same problems with heat distribution will arise. Therefore, it is necessary first of all to ensure the uniformity and stability of the distribution of thermal energy and air humidity.

Height

The height of the room is one of the main indicators for a steam room. In particular, the quality of steam depends on the altitude. The relationship here is the most direct - if the ceiling of a room is too low, its volume decreases. Accordingly, the amount of steam in the air decreases.

An excessively high steam room will require excessive energy consumption - hot air filled with steam rises. Users find themselves in a colder zone where the vapor particles are not as dense as they should be. It is necessary to increase the heating mode and increase the humidity (constantly supply water to the heater), which leads to excessive fuel consumption.

There are no standards defining the height of the steam room. However, the optimal height has been experimentally determined to be 2.2 m. This value allows even the tallest people to feel normal, but the microclimate is also quite even.

The internal atmosphere does not stratify into cold and hot zones until there is a complete lack of comfort, and fuel (energy) consumption is quite efficient.

This steam room height is recommended for any room, regardless of its size and configuration. Many online sources claim that these indicators are different for a sauna and a Russian bath. However, in practice this is not confirmed - despite the difference in internal air parameters, the dimensions of the sauna and Russian bath are approximately the same.

We should also not forget about the size of the front door. The optimal size is 1.7-1.8 m by 0.6-0.7 m width. At the same time, it is important to make a high threshold (this can be done by reducing the height of the door, so as not to raise the panel too high to the ceiling). This will help reduce the access of cold air into the steam room from other rooms of the bathhouse and save the thermal energy of the room.

Towels and washing accessories

For procedures, it is recommended to take two bath towels. One towel is used for lying down, the second for rubbing the body.

You can also use special towels with hidden Velcro as bath clothes. Such clothing is aimed at men and women; it may have special protective straps and patch pockets.

When carrying out any bath procedures, it is impossible to do without auxiliary accessories - soap, shampoos, shower foams, brushes, sponges and oils.

Soap and shampoo

When choosing cosmetic bath products, it is recommended to pay attention to their smell and quality. Bath cosmetics should not contain dyes or fragrances. It is better to give preference to completely natural ingredients that will not cause allergic reactions. The best option for a bath is tar, birch and milk soap. If desired, soap can be replaced with soft gel or shampoo.

State Fire Supervision Requirements

At the design stage, familiarize yourself with the basic requirements of the PPB. They should be taken into account both when planning premises and the alarm system in them, and when choosing sauna cladding; for example, the use of resinous wood is strictly prohibited. Deciduous trees are preferred.

Premises requirements

The walls of the steam room are made of durable material (brick or concrete, that is, type I fire partitions are installed), the ceilings are made of type III (reinforced concrete). A separate exit from the dry heat room to the street is required (not to the reception, staircase or somewhere else).

The volume of the dry heat room is strictly standardized:

• 8-24 m3;
• with a height of -1.9 m.

An electric heater (heater) is selected based on the volume of the sauna, provided that it consumes no more than 15 kW. Permitted continuous operation is eight hours. After this, the electric heater should turn off automatically.

Additional requirements for it:

1. The control is mounted in front of the steam room.
2. All cables are made with the maximum degree of protection and heat resistance.
3. The heater is installed at a distance of 0.2 meters from the wall to avoid fire.
4. A shield with a 5-centimeter gap from the ceiling is mounted above the heater. The shield material must be fireproof and prevent overheating and destruction of the ceiling.

The maximum permissible temperature in the sauna is 110°C. The steam room is under no circumstances sealed. You need to leave a gap of 3 cm between the floor and the door. This allows for a flow of dry, hot air into the room.

PPB: basic requirements

The dry heat room itself (steam room) is equipped with a deluge (dry pipes connected to the water supply system are installed around the perimeter of the “steam room”). The control is installed before entering the dry heat room. Some designers propose to “close” the steam room with “sauna” type heat sensors with a PTLM wire; this system is triggered at 150°C.

Showers can be classified as rooms with wet processes. They do not install AUPS. Smoke detectors must be installed in locker rooms, administrative and service rooms. In these rooms, it is prohibited to use coating materials that are easily flammable and highly smoky.

The following fire extinguishing systems are acceptable for saunas:

• foam;
• water;
• gas.

The presence of additional, more stringent requirements may be due to the large throughput of the enterprise, the presence of additional premises (billiard rooms, stores of related products, cafes).

Personnel requirements

It is unacceptable to allow persons under 18 years of age to operate sauna equipment. All workers servicing sauna equipment must be trained in safe working techniques and know the safety regulations.

They must know:

• rules for turning on/off equipment;
• main types of problems;
• their actions if any malfunctions are detected;
• their actions in the event of a fire.

Additional recommendations

Use air heating sensors that automatically turn off the electricity supplied to the heater when overheated as a supplement to RCDs and automatic machines. Use basalt/mineral board as thermal insulation material. Treat wooden surfaces with fire retardants at least twice a year.

Fire extinguishing systems in saunas can be manually started. The first ones are not very good due to the human factor, the second ones are prone to false alarms. To correct the situation, it is recommended to use not only smoke detectors, but also temperature detectors and flame detectors in conjunction with them.

To avoid fire in the sauna it is prohibited:

• install homemade heating elements;
• leave the heater running unattended;
• use additional heaters in the steam room;
• use electric ovens that are not equipped with thermostats;
• close the gap under the steam room door;
• dry clothes on the heater.

During the design process, check to see if there are separate safety regulations developed for saunas in your region.