Bath sheet: a detailed guide to the Russian bath

Since ancient times, a real bathhouse has been considered a place where you can not only take a steam bath, but also heal yourself, and also get rid of adversity by washing away negative energy. Today a bathhouse is a desirable building on any suburban area. You can live in the bathhouse while the main house is being built, or get together with friends and have a good time. It is not surprising that the number of fans of bath procedures is growing every year. FORUMHOUSE users have accumulated extensive experience in the construction and operation of baths and saunas of various types. Therefore, in this article we will summarize the experience of portal participants and tell you:

How to build an original domed bathhouse with your own hands.
What devices and ideas simplify the construction and operation of a Russian bathhouse.
How to properly soak a bath broom.
What “folk” recipes for bath products are good for health.

What not to do in the bathhouse

Before the steam room you cannot wash in the shower with soap, you can only rinse. The fact is that soap removes the protective layer and the skin becomes more sensitive.

Before visiting the steam room, you should not wet your head, otherwise heat transfer will increase and you will get heatstroke. For the same reason, it is better to protect your head with a special bathing cap. Among other things, it prevents hair from drying out.

You should not drink carbonated drinks before the steam room. Alcohol is not recommended either before the visit, or during, or even after the bath.

No need to overeat. But you shouldn’t go to the bathhouse hungry either. Salads and herbal teas are the best choices.

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The history of the Russian bathhouse is probably much deeper than we can imagine. For some reason, many people underestimate the civilization of the Russian people, believing that their entire history, upon closer examination, turns out to be a real chronicle of savagery and backwardness. How wrong they are, these skeptics! In fact, the Russian bathhouse is perhaps the most ancient, since its appearance dates back to approximately the same period as the very birth of the Slavic tribe! There was also no written language as such, but we already see in oral folk art references to the bathhouse and its healing power

After all, the bath procedure seems to combine the two most powerful natural elements - fire and water. The ancient Slavs, as you know, were pagans in their beliefs and worshiped a wide variety of gods. And the most “strong”, therefore, the most revered were the god of the sun and fire and the goddess of rain and water. By combining these two forces during the bath procedure, the ancient Slavs seemed to attract them to their side and thus took over part of their power. The pagan holiday of Ivan Kupala, by the way, is also rooted in the depths of ancient Slavic beliefs. By jumping over fire, our distant ancestors tried to “burn out” evil and disease and cleanse their souls. And nightly swimming in a river or lake personified unity with Mother Nature and communion with her vital forces. In almost all epics and tales we can see echoes of ancient beliefs in the healing and cleansing power of water. Our ancestors knew that health is associated with cleanliness. The legends about “dead” and “living” water that emerged from such “vague guesses” tell us that pure “living” water has healing powers. The bathhouse was considered the guardian of “living” water and health, since it seemed to strengthen and direct a person’s vital energy in the right direction. The bathhouse was first considered a symbol of overcoming everything bad that can surround a person in earthly life, and in later times it became the personification of friendliness and homeliness. In Russian fairy tales, Ivanushka demands that Baba Yaga first steam him in a bathhouse, feed him, give him something to drink and put him to bed, and then ask him questions. These ideas about hospitality have been preserved in villages to this day, and now a guest who knocks on the door will first of all be offered a steam bath, and then offered a table and a bed. The bathhouse has always played such an important role in the life of Russian people that in the ancient chronicles of the 11th-12th centuries, which tell about the customs of the “Russians,” we often find references to “soaphouses.” The baths were called “soaps”, “movnits”, “movyu”, “vlazny” and “movny”. Even in the treaty with Byzantium (dating back to 907), the Russians specifically stipulated that the Russian ambassadors who arrived in Constantinople would “create language” whenever they wanted. Baths are mentioned both in the “Tale of Bygone Years” (945) and in the charter of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery (966). In those ancient times, the monks of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra were very well informed in matters of medicine, since they had the opportunity to read the works of ancient Greek physicians, and it was Greek medicine that first drew attention to the benefits of the steam bath. In an effort to verify the information they had received, the monks began to build baths and observe the healing effect they had on the sick and “suffering.” When the medicinal properties of the baths were fully confirmed, something like hospitals began to be set up at the baths, and such baths were already called “institutions for the infirm.” These were probably the very first hospitals in Rus'. The Russian bath cannot be compared with either European or Asian baths. The Russian bathhouse, in contrast, has a much stronger effect with its heat. An indispensable attribute of the Russian bath - a birch broom - whips hot bodies with all its might. It seems that this is not a bathhouse, but torture. This is what foreigners who found themselves in a real Russian bathhouse thought at all times. In the steam room, under the blows of the brooms, it seemed to them that “their death had come and was standing on the threshold.” But after the bathhouse, foreigners noted that they felt great. The amazing, thrilling sensations associated with a Russian bath remain forever in the memory of foreigners. The fame of the Russian healing bath is spreading throughout the world. In many foreign books of antiquity and the present day, travelers share their impressions of Russia. Is it possible to understand the Russian character without visiting a Russian bathhouse? Russian baths with their healing powers have won the love of many people outside our country. Fans of Russian baths are building them in both France and America. Once in Canada, our compatriot can relieve his soul in the Sandunovskie baths. They were built according to the prototype of the Sandunovsky baths in Moscow. The attractive power and healing ability of Russian baths are generally recognized. One of the ancient Arabic manuscripts preserves the memory of one traveler who visited Rus' and took a steam bath. From this source it became known how our ancestors arranged baths: “... They built a small wooden house. It had only one small window, which was located closer to the ceiling. All the cracks between the logs were caulked with tree resin mixed with forest moss. In one of the corners of the hut there is a fireplace surrounded by stones. There was also a large barrel of water in the bathhouse. When the fire flares up, the stones are sprinkled with water, and the door and window are sealed.” The Russian bathhouse amazed the imagination of foreigners who were accustomed to baths with warm water. Therefore, the Russians, who dived into the ice hole after a scalding bathhouse, were seen by strangers as heroes. The structure of the baths did not undergo any changes for a long time, and it remains so to this day. The idea remained the same, but its implementation has changed. Initially, the baths were a small wooden hut, built from solid logs. They tried to place bathhouses near reservoirs so as not to experience difficulties with water. The internal structure of the bathhouse is as follows: approximately a third of the entire room is occupied by a stove-heater. A fire is lit below, which heats the stones placed on top, and also heats the bathhouse. When the stones are hot, the fire is extinguished, the pipe is closed with a damper and steamed, pouring water over the stones to create steam. They soar by climbing onto shelves (emphasis on the second syllable), which are something like a ladder with four or five wide steps. The higher a person climbs on the shelves, the hotter and more “vigorous” the steam is. On the last shelf, almost under the ceiling, only the hardiest and strongest steamers, who don’t mind 100-degree heat, risk steaming. This is the so-called white bath. At first it was built only from logs, but then brick baths appeared. We find the first mention of a brick bathhouse in the chronicle of 1090, and it was built in the city of Pereyaslavl. If there is a white sauna, then, naturally, there must be a black sauna, attentive readers will say and they will be absolutely right! There was such a bathhouse. At first, even before the appearance of white bathhouses, the Russian people heated their bathhouses in black style for centuries. There are few real experts of such a bath now, but this idea does not fade away. There is a fairly widespread misconception that steaming black means suffocating from soot and burning in a small room next to an open stove. Of those who think so, there is not a single person who has experienced first-hand what a black bath is. There is no need to be afraid that they will soon stop worrying about everything. There are many places throughout Russia where preference is given to the original Russian tradition. Bathhouses in the villages of the Middle Urals, Western Siberia and other places were built in accordance with the behests of their ancestors, who knew a lot about a real bathhouse. They say there: “The black bath will wash you white

So what is the difference between a black bath and a white one? Only in the method of heating the room. After all, the house itself (both for a white and a black bath) was built the same way and was very small. There were only two small rooms with a rather low ceiling. The height of the ceiling corresponded to the height of an adult man. The small size of the bathhouse made it possible to heat it properly. The main difference between a black-heated bathhouse and all others is the absence of a chimney. The door to the bathhouse was made very strong, without cracks. To ensure that it closed tightly and there was no draft, a wooden step was made in front of the door. The first room of this bath house is called the dressing room. It was equipped with maximum amenities. In the dressing room there was a bench and a clothes hanger. The dressing room is significantly smaller in size than the bathhouse itself, from which it was separated by a thin wooden partition. They preferred to make such a partition from linden or pine. The partition had a door that closed tightly, thereby preventing smoke and steam from entering the dressing room. In one of the corners of the bathhouse there was a stove on which large round stones-boulders lay. Next to the stove there was a tub with a large supply of water. The bathhouse had one small window, and it was located above the stove. Thus, the bathhouse could be ventilated as needed. As already mentioned, the stove in the black bath was without a chimney, so the smoke and soot went directly into the steam room. Naturally, after the first attempt to heat the bathhouse in this way, the walls and ceiling of the steam room became sooty, and this soot was completely impossible to remove. It was for this black color of the walls and ceiling that the bathhouse began to be called black. After the sauna is heated, all windows and doors are opened so that the smoke comes out and the air in the steam room becomes fresher. Of course, no one started steaming until all the smoke had disappeared, otherwise one could easily get burned in such a bathhouse. Having ventilated the bathhouse, it must be prepared so that you can steam in it. To do this, the bathhouse is “steamed”: a special scraper is passed along the walls, excess soot is washed off by dousing the walls with hot water from a bucket, and only after these manipulations they are “steamed” by splashing water on the heater. This method of steaming is called “black”. It is the most ancient and originates, figuratively speaking, in the Russian oven. After all, long before baths appeared, Russians were steaming in stoves. How did this happen? Quite simple, but nevertheless very witty. They used the absolutely remarkable property of the Russian stove to retain heat long after food was cooked or bread was baked. Having removed the soot and ash from the mouth of the stove, they tried to wash the walls, laid straw on a tray, placed a tub of water there and placed a broom. Next, help was required: the one who steamed first sat on a shovel or even on an ordinary board, and an assistant carefully pushed him into the mouth. The oven damper closed tightly, and the person began to steam. By sprinkling water on the walls of the oven, you got an absolutely wonderful fragrant steam with the smell of just baked bread. When the steamer wanted to get out of the oven, he knocked on the damper, and he was taken out of the oven in the same way as he was placed there. In general, this process was very similar to baking bread: like a loaf, they “put” a person in the oven, and when he “brown” from the heat, they quickly took him out. Having steamed, the person doused himself with cold water, and if there was a river nearby, he ran and plunged into the river. Most likely, bathing with hot water was not very common; much more often they simply took a steam bath, alternating this with cold douches. But they washed their hair in a very strange way (in the modern sense). Wood ash was first used to wash hair! Or rather, not the ash itself, but the so-called lye, which was made from ash. Only then did they begin to wash their hair with eggs; it is this ancient method that has survived to this day. And now many beauties, wanting to preserve the beauty and shine of their hair, wash it with an egg in the old fashioned way. Isn’t this the best confirmation of the wisdom of our ancestors, when a modern person thoughtfully refuses fashionable patented cosmetics, preferring instead folk remedies that have been tested for centuries! If we want to trace the entire “path” of development of the Russian bathhouse, it will be like this: first - a Russian stove, in which they could steam after cooking and baking bread. Then the cramped mouth of the stove “expanded” to the size of a dugout, which was heated in the black way. The heater as such had not yet appeared; instead, in the center of the dugout there was a pile of stones, on which they splashed water. Smoke came out not only through the entrance hole of the dugout, but also through cracks in the roof. Then the cramped and low dugout “grew up”, becoming a small house, half dug into the ground. Such black baths were heated by stoves and already had a separate stove and several shelves. And only after this the Russians began to equip their black baths with chimneys so that the smoke would not accumulate in the steam room, but would go outside. This is how white baths appeared - first wooden, and then stone. But with the advent of the white bathhouse, the black bathhouse did not lose its position - they began to exist simultaneously. To this day, in many villages you can find bathhouses that are heated both white and black. Russians have always been very democratic and therefore tried to take into account the interests of all residents of a village, town or city, building two types of baths. After all, there are still people who like black saunas much more. They claim that the steam in a black bathhouse is more fragrant and beneficial than in a white one, because only in a bathhouse heated in the old way does a special, some ancient feeling of home comfort and warmth remain. Probably, these were the feelings that primitive hunters experienced when they returned from hunting: all the hardships are behind them and they can finally relax and unwind, enjoying the peace. And modern man, whom civilization has freed from the harsh need to fight wild animals and the elements for his existence, sometimes simply needs to feel like an ancient hunter and warrior, capable of hard physical labor. After all, let’s be honest, our male contemporaries have become more effeminate compared to their courageous ancestors. And the black bathhouse, with its primitive sensations, apparently awakens in them some kind of ancestral, genetic memory, which, as it were, returns them to those harsh times. And it's so great! Having briefly felt like a warrior, a man tries to retain this feeling within himself: when he knows that a lot depends on his courage and determination, he behaves completely differently. He actually becomes more courageous, some special calm dignity appears in him, that brutality that is gradually being lost in our refined, civilized society. That's for sure. Tested in practice! Actually, this, of course, is not a scientific theory - about genetic memory, which is “awakened” by a hot Russian bathhouse, heated using the black method. But something really happens to them (to men, in the sense) because they come out of the Russian bathhouse somehow different! If you want to check it out, go to some remote village where an old black bathhouse is still preserved. It is guaranteed that your civilized companion, whose most “bloodthirsty” act was cutting up the meat fillet you bought in the supermarket, after visiting the black sauna, will express an ardent desire to go hunting. You will simply be amazed to the core by the changes that have taken place. And besides, after such a bath something happens to the body: it becomes more obedient, almost animal-like flexibility and grace appear, and the whole body becomes ten years younger! Marvelous! And doctors have found a scientific explanation for the “life-giving” properties of the black bath: it turns out that the smoke contains special antiseptic substances that destroy pathogenic bacteria and microbes. This is why the black sauna is so beneficial

Of course, now not everyone has such an opportunity to experience the effects of a black bath for themselves, and not everyone can withstand it. Let’s be honest, if you’re not used to a black sauna, you won’t get burned for long, especially if a person has never taken a steam bath in a sauna before! But anyone can take a steam bath in a white bathhouse: it is both pleasant and no less useful. The original Russian white bathhouse looked nondescript from the outside. The wooden hut stood half-grown into the ground. This prevented the winds from blowing through the bathhouse, thereby quickly cooling it. In addition, such a “down-to-earth” location of the bathhouse was very convenient for the correct placement of the stove and chimney. Unlike the black bathhouse, this one had a chimney above it. The bathhouse was divided into two parts. The dressing room (the smaller part) was arranged according to tradition simply, but taking into account the needs. The bathhouse itself, or steam room, occupied the largest part. Its main attraction was the stove with a chimney. The stove, the heart of the bathhouse, had several levels. The lowest level was a small recess - a vent. There was a stove above it. There were chimneys running from the stove in the wall. And on the stove there was a layer of stones. A tub of water next to the stove allowed steam to be added as needed. This design of the stove provided good “draft” during combustion, as well as ventilation for the bathhouse. Very often, for this reason, steam rooms in a white bathhouse were without windows. The air in such a bath is always saturated with oxygen. It is no less hot than in a black sauna, but not as hot and tart. In such a bathhouse, combustion products are practically not felt in the air, and only the aromas of wood, broom and medicinal decoctions predominate. There is no doubt that those who experience breathing difficulties due to any illness cannot do without a white-heated bathhouse. The pure aromatic steam of such a bath has a cleansing effect on the lungs. Breathing in an aromatic bath is similar to inhalation. Such baths became the prototypes of modern baths, which inherited their healing power from traditional Russian baths. Among bathhouse lovers there are a lot of creative and inventive people who use their knowledge to bring the ancient design of the bathhouse as close as possible to modern conditions. And this is very important, because more and more often people use not a bathhouse, but a bath or shower. Most people now have little opportunity to have their own wooden bathhouse. But the state provides support for the construction of public baths. Many enterprises, stadiums and holiday homes have first-class baths. They are lined with wood and give wonderful steam. Often buildings that were not originally intended for these purposes are equipped with bathhouses. There are baths in basements and stone buildings. In such cases, it is somewhat more difficult to achieve real vigorous steam, especially if the walls of the bathhouse are tiled. In addition, public baths usually attract a lot of people. Evaporation from many hot bodies affects air humidity. Baths with high humidity are more difficult for humans to tolerate than dry baths. The temperature in them is not high. Of course, the steam effect in such baths remains strong, but it is more difficult for the skin to cleanse itself and “breathe.” There are often public baths in which there is no heater, and steam enters the steam room through a pipe from the utility room where the stove is heated. Technical delivery of steam to the steam room is the brainchild of civilization. It is good because by moving the valve you can reduce or increase the steam supply. Many people love baths very much, but public baths do not bring them the desired pleasure. Such people should not give up their dream of owning a bathhouse. Try to find a way out: build a bathhouse based on your means and territorial capabilities. The minds of many engineers were occupied by the design of a modern bathhouse. This is how options for installing a bathhouse in a city bathroom appeared. With some effort and skill, a bathhouse in a city apartment can be of excellent quality. First, you should think about wall paneling in your bathroom. Birch boards can be used for this. Knock down removable shields from the boards. Thus, you can turn your bathroom into a bathhouse by “dressing” the walls in fragrant wood. Secondly, make a wooden shelf and mount it into the wall above the bathtub. You can make the shelves removable or foldable. You can't do without a heater in a real bathhouse. This can also be arranged in a city apartment. Place the mini-electric oven flush with the shelf. Place the required number of round stones in a metal bowl and place on the electric stove. The heat from the heated oven affects the stones. By spraying hot stones with water, you will get real steam. In the case of a mini-electric oven, you should be especially careful and careful

When organizing such a bath, ensure the safety and serviceability of the electrical wiring and sockets. A “bare” contact in contact with water can cause a short circuit and even a fire. Plug sockets and switches are absolutely not suitable for such a bathhouse. They are too dangerous. In order to avoid serious problems during the design and construction of a bathhouse, contact the services of fire service specialists. The air of a city bath can be given a fragrant and healing aroma of plants by placing a bouquet of herbs near the ceiling. You can also pour a herbal decoction into the bath. The healing aroma, rising, will affect your body and make breathing easier. Another way to steam in a city bathroom is quite simple, but effective for some diseases of the musculoskeletal system or if you want to lose excess weight. For this you will need two wooden frames. They should be knocked down with a “lattice”. One of them will serve as a bed. The second will serve as a seat back. The frames should follow the shape of the bathtub and be firmly fixed in it. Fill the bathroom with a small amount of hot water - about 5-6 liters. Secure the frame made of a “lattice” at a distance of 20-25 cm from the water. The person wishing to take a steam bath is placed on this frame. A second frame is installed under the back and head. Thus, the person is above the water, which floats. To complete this bath design, you need to cover the bath with a thick sheet. Do this carefully so that no steam escapes. Thus, only the head does not take a steam bath in such an extravagant bathhouse. The steam in the enclosed space of the bath is quite tart, and this enhances the healing effect of the bath on your body. The proposed design is quite economical. Of course, it can’t compare with a real bathhouse, but still something! A real Russian bathhouse is now a great luxury. There are few people left willing to heat the stove with wood or coal. In addition, most people have a bathhouse in their country house. Therefore, they have little time for “bath preparations”. You can speed up the process of heating a bath using new technologies. Perhaps precisely because most bathhouses now run on electricity or gas, it is possible to take a steam bath in a black-heated bathhouse only in villages. The traditions and knowledge that a “black” bathhouse washes white are still alive there. Country bathhouses are also a good way out of the “bathhouse” crisis. A bathhouse in a country house can be very tiny, designed for 2-3 people to steam in it. Wealthy people can afford a grandiose bathhouse with a relaxation room, a swimming pool, a shower, etc. You can build a separate bathhouse or place a bathhouse under the same roof as a summer house. You can use any material for the construction of a bathhouse, based on your own considerations in this regard. It is enough to cover the steam room with wood, and then the aroma of the tree will become the spirit of your bath. You can also avoid problems with high air humidity. A small bathhouse is built in Russian traditions: a dressing room and a steam room. A more expanded version of the bathhouse includes a larger number of rooms, the first of which is the hallway. Street shoes and outerwear are removed in this room. The next room is the dressing room, or dressing room. Here a person is freed from underwear. There is only one way from the dressing room - to the bathhouse directly. In some cases, it is arranged taking into account all the bathing preferences of the owner. In the central hall of such a bath there is an average temperature and little steam. There are benches or beds. You can wash yourself in this room. It is also better to do a massage here, because the air temperature here is very suitable for this procedure. From here you can enter the dry heat and steam cabin. The steam room is heated with hot air, it enters through pipes and is regulated by a valve. In addition, there is a heater in the steam room, which is heated using an electric stove, so you can always use the steamer if you wish. The wonderful Russian tradition of plunging into cold water after a bath is also implemented in the modern version of the bath. If possible, you can arrange a swimming pool next to the bathhouse. Its design should allow you to frequently change the water in the pool. It should also have a heating system - this will help you create the desired water temperature in the pool. In addition to the pool or instead of it, you should build a shower at the bathhouse. Build a special shower stall for it with cold and hot water supply. It is very convenient to use a mixer tap in the shower, which allows you to take a shower with water at the desired temperature. The relaxation room is a place to have a pleasant time after the bath. The arrangement of this room remains the owner's priority. What can you not imagine relaxing after a bath without? A TV, a refrigerator with beer, a samovar, a sofa and much more can be found in the relaxation room at your request. Time has not left the bathhouse without technical changes. The properties of the bath remain the same, but the design itself changes, adapting in detail to the new time. This applies not only to the mass of amenities with which modern people are accustomed to surrounding themselves. Changes have also occurred with the stove. Not everyone wants to make the bath heating process gas or electric. There are also those who like to take a steam bath and prefer the stove. The modern version of the sauna stove has become more complicated due to the details. The firebox must have a blower, which makes it easy to remove ash from the stove. The blower became much longer than it was before. It also provides draft, without which the fire in the stove would be weaker. Chambers with stones, which are used to generate heat, are protected by a layer of sand. Sand protects stones from rapid cooling and reduces heat loss. The structure of the bathhouse chimney is very similar to the indoor chimney structure. The only difference is that the chimney recess above the stove itself is made wider and filled with stones. The more stones, the hotter the sauna will be. The stove has been laid by master stove makers for a long time. And now there are no shortage of such specialists. Therefore, if you do not consider yourself a master of the stove business, seek help from a person who knows this delicate matter. Sometimes ignorance of the exact technology for building a bathhouse does not lead to the results that were expected. So, when building a bathhouse on your summer cottage, you need to try to foresee all the surprises and not fantasize with construction technology, but strictly follow the instructions of specialists and always remember the folk wisdom: WHO DOES IT AT CHANCE, AT LEAST THROW EVERYTHING SOON TO PEOPLE TO LAUGH. BRAVE DANILO FORGES AND BLOWS, AND HIMSELF DOESN’T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN. But having already built the bathhouse, it will be possible with a clear conscience to collect bath accessories and heat it hotter, as they say, “on the first run.”

Post author: ariskveda

When is the best time to steam?

There is an opinion that it is better to go to the bathhouse in winter. But you can also steam in the summer. In hot weather, a sauna helps the body adapt to high temperatures. The pores open, the work of the sweat glands increases, which helps improve heat exchange. Plus the body gets rid of toxins, it just becomes easier to breathe. Coming out of the steam room in the summer, many note this fact.

So experienced bath attendants do not recognize seasonality.

If we talk about the time of day, it is better to listen to your biological clock. For example, many larks come for the first steam (in “Sanduny” it is at 8 o’clock in the morning). They claim that after a bath they work better and get everything done. Owls, on the contrary, prefer evening sessions and after a bath they are only capable of undisturbed sleep.

Getting rid of unsightly sheets above the stove

Why put a metal sheet over the stove if it is not needed there? If you think it's beautiful, then you can leave it there. But there is no need to spoil a beautiful room with shiny screens that quickly become cloudy - this will not add aesthetics.

Read the instructions for your oven. Each instruction must indicate a safe distance to the ceiling - it must be observed. That's all you need to do. If the distance is maintained, no additional protective measures are required, because any safe distance is indicated with a margin. If you have not maintained such a safe distance, you should think about the height of the ceiling. Isn't it made too low (planned)? Is the stove's power suitable for the given volume of the sauna?

Which broom to choose

There are two types of brooms: those used for steaming, and those used for inhalation or massage. Oak and birch are excellent for vaping, and eucalyptus for inhalation.

You can also use essential oils for inhalation in the steam room. How and which ones exactly are described in this article.

The best steaming is provided by an oak broom. Its leaf is wide, the broom itself is more voluminous and produces more steam in one stroke. This steaming is suitable, for example, for athletes and those who experience heavy physical activity.

But a birch broom is very useful for smokers: it helps remove phlegm. It is also good for rubbing, as birch leaves have antiseptic properties, relieve irritation and soothe.

A good oak or birch broom can be used many times. The main thing is to dry him well after the steam room so that he can breathe oxygen.

Firewood harvesting

In village baths, it is recommended to prepare a sufficient amount of firewood in advance in the form of a small woodpile directly in the steam room. Such preparation saves those steaming from the need to constantly bring in missing firewood from the street, which can be especially problematic in winter. Among other things, dry fuel flares up better and can provide good heating of the room.

Bonus from Lifehacker: broom massage technology

Basic Techniques

Stroking. Slowly walk the broom from your neck to your feet 2-3 times. Pay attention not only to the central part of the body, but also to the sides. Such slow movements are ideal at the beginning of the massage.

Compress. Raise the broom to the ceiling, shake, capturing hot air, and press it against your body for a short time (from one to five seconds). The best places for compresses are the lower back, shoulder blades, feet or problem areas (for example, sore muscles).

Stretching. It is performed with two brooms: both are placed on the lower back, and then simultaneously spread to the sides (one to the feet, the other to the back of the head). The same technique can be performed in the area of the shoulder blades and knees.

Quilting. Quilting movements with the end of a broom, which necessarily end with stroking. Can be performed on almost all parts of the body.

Whiplash. A more powerful technique, before which you need to lift a broom and grab hot air. It is optimal to give 2-3 blows to the body after each air grab. You can combine the procedure with compresses.

Plowing. Swinging movements with a broom towards the steamer, which are performed along the entire body. The goal is to surround it with a pleasant stream of hot air.

Trituration. A treatment ideal at the end of a massage. Hold the broom by the handle with one hand, and with the other, lightly pressing on the leafy part, rub the entire body. The torso can be rubbed in all directions, but it is better to rub the limbs along.

Necessary clarifications

During the massage, a wet broom is used, that is, it needs to be moistened periodically. If the broom is initially dry, steam it first: first keep it in cold water for 10–20 minutes, then in hot water for 1–3 minutes.
You should not wave the broom too much if the steam room is very hot (more than 60 °C). Otherwise, you can burn the person steaming.
After the massage, there is no need to suddenly get up from the shelf. You should rest for at least a couple of minutes.

Choosing a tree

Bathhouses were traditionally made from logs; this building material is coming back into fashion. Building such a steam room is expensive and difficult, but it is worth it. Linden, aspen, and larch perform best: they are soft woods and therefore react well to water, do not crack when dry, and are not susceptible to rot.

If you are lining a bathhouse with wood, then remember its properties. Thus, oak, spruce, pine and fir will give a special fragrant aroma. But with spruce species it is not so simple. High-quality wood can release resins. Therefore, do not sheathe the ceiling with them; hot drops of resin will cause burns if they come into contact with the skin.

Photo: Shutterstock.com

Lifehack. Aromatherapy lovers use oil mixed with water for steaming: 3 drops per 500 ml. Suitable healing and valuable oils are juniper, spruce, ylang-ylang, orange and lavender.

The best brooms for a bath are considered to be oak, linden, and birch. To diversify your bathing day, pay attention to cherry and currant brooms. Steamed brooms with the addition of eucalyptus, walnut, tansy, sage, lemon balm and even bamboo will amaze you with their aroma.

Is it possible to plunge into the snow after a bath?

It is best to plunge into the snow during the bath, and not after: that is, after rubbing with snow, you need to steam again. Under no circumstances should you immediately pack up and go out into the air after rubbing.

Only hardened and trained people can rub themselves with snow or douse themselves with cold water after a steam room.

Such temperature changes are an incredible burden on the blood vessels. Therefore, it is better for people with varicose veins and thrombosis to avoid this.

What cosmetic procedures to perform

Peels and scrubs are used in the bath. Some people buy them in stores, others cook them themselves. The most popular homemade scrub is salt and honey.

The purpose of such cosmetics is to cleanse the skin, improve its color and texture, and increase elasticity. Their use is most effective in a bathhouse, because after the steam room the upper layers of the epidermis are prepared for the procedure, and the skin itself absorbs nutrients better.

But after a bath it is better not to apply any cosmetics, especially oils. The exception is only for those with dry skin.

Contraindications for visiting the sauna

People with heart disease should consult their doctors before visiting them. People who are able to do light exercise, such as walking for 30 minutes or climbing 3 to 4 flights of stairs without stopping, are likely to be fine. But patients with poorly controlled blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, unstable angina and advanced heart failure or heart valve disease are advised to avoid sauna use.

In 1978, American scientists examined 63 women who gave birth to children with severe pathologies of the nervous system. The survey revealed that two of them regularly visited the sauna in the first months of pregnancy. Doctors suggested that the heat and humidity in the bathhouse had a negative impact on the development of the fetus. Experiments on animals seemed to confirm these guesses: a sharp increase in body temperature - hyperthermia - in pregnant rats led to deformation of the embryos.

However, Finnish physiologists did not agree with this and pointed to statistics according to which 99 percent of pregnant Finnish women visit the sauna weekly, and the rates of neurological pathologies in newborns in the country are the lowest in the world.

Patients with poorly controlled blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, unstable angina and advanced heart failure or heart valve disease are advised to avoid sauna use.

In addition, the Finns organized a study in which about 60 women took part, two thirds of them were pregnant. The experiment participants were placed in conditions typical of a sauna. The skin of the subjects actually warmed up - by an average of 5°. But the rectal body temperature increased by only 0.3-0.5° and even after a long stay in the bath did not reach 38.9°, at which the fetus develops pathologies incompatible with life. Having found no changes in the blood flow and heartbeat of women and embryos, scientists concluded that sauna exposure does not harm pregnancy in any way. However, it is better for pregnant women not to go to the sauna. At least until less controversial research comes out.