How to soak a birch bath broom: fresh and dry

Properties of birch broom

A bath broom works real miracles. Collected from birch branches containing a large amount of essential oils, flavonoids, phytancides, it has a beneficial effect on the body.

Has the following beneficial properties:

restores beauty and elasticity to the skin;
improves the functioning of the respiratory system;
cleanses the lungs;
removes toxins and waste;
relieves pain in muscles and joints;
eliminates cellulite;
improves blood circulation.

Birch broom has virtually no contraindications. It is recommended for smokers and workers in hazardous industries to take a steam bath.

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If you want to steam with a broom, then it is best to do this not during the preparatory run, but during the first or second.

During which entry into the steam room to use a broom depends on the person’s preparedness, his state of health, time of day, etc. Trained people can steam up to 3 times.

Between visits to the steam room, you can (and even need) take contrasting procedures. But those who visit the bathhouse to lose weight should remember that any cooling of the body reflexively stops sweating, and this, of course, interferes with further weight loss.

Brooms are almost always used in the bathhouse. Bath brooms are often made from birch, maple, and oak. However, unfortunately, not everyone likes visiting the steam room with a broom.

Using a broom in a bathhouse is, by and large, nothing more than a massage. Such a properly performed massage will increase blood circulation, enhance metabolism and promote more intense sweating. If you use a broom, the pores open faster and stronger, which allows you to better remove germs and toxins from the body.

In order for the effect on the human body to be targeted and positive, a broom must be used in a bath in a certain order and in accordance with the rules of the bath procedure. We offer you a proven method for using a broom in a steam room-sauna for a long time (according to A.A. Biryukov and K.A. Kafarov).

First, you need to prepare a birch or oak broom (or better yet, two). You can steam with a fresh broom right away, but a dry broom should be immersed in cold water for 15-20 minutes (you can start using it in the steam room after 2-3 minutes). If the broom is dry, it should be placed on the bench, spread out like a fan, pour boiling water over it 2-3 times and cover with a thin cloth for 10-15 minutes. You can also simply put it in a container of boiling water, cover and steam for 5-10 minutes. It is better, of course, to take care of the broom in advance and soak it in a bucket of cold water the evening before the bath day.

During steaming, if the air humidity is not lower than 40-50%, you should not additionally soak the broom in water, otherwise it will cease to be able to generate steam, become heavy and stick together. The dry-air bath should have a container of warm water so that the broom can be constantly wetted. It is most convenient to steam with two people. The most rational and comfortable position is lying down: firstly, this allows you to completely relax all the muscles; secondly, the air temperature in this case is the same for all parts of the body. If you do not have the opportunity to lie down, you should steam while sitting, with your feet on a bench.

You need to start steaming while lying on your stomach. The massage therapist or partner makes light strokes with brooms from the feet to the head: the brooms are placed on the feet, from where they are moved along the calf muscles, then the gluteal muscles, the middle part of the back (long muscles) and along the arms. In the opposite direction, you need to slide one broom along one side, and the other along the other, then along the side surfaces of the legs to the heels. There should be 3-4 such movements, and each of them should take about 10 seconds. Make sure that the brooms touch the body. If the air temperature in the steam room is too high, the brooms should slide slowly, and should not rise up at the feet and head, so that steam does not build up. If the air temperature is normal, you can increase its influence if you begin to quickly move brooms from one part of the body to another and periodically (either at the head or at the feet) lift them.

Quilting is the next soaring technique. First, quilting is done on the back with light “strokes” in all directions. Then - on the lower back, pelvis, hips, calf muscles and feet. This technique takes from 45 to 60 seconds. It ends with stroking, but the movements need to be done much faster than in the first technique: in 6-7 seconds - 5-6 movements. Now you need to steam while lying on your back. You need to perform the same techniques and in the same sequence.

After this, we turn onto our stomach again and repeat the first two techniques (stroking and quilting) for 2 minutes.

Now we perform the main technique - whipping in combination with a compress from a broom. Let's start from the back. We slightly lift the brooms (swallowing hot air with them) and do 2-3 light whippings on the latissimus dorsi muscles.

After this, we again raise the bath brooms and lower them onto the areas that were quilted. Moreover, we turn and lower them onto the body, pressing for 2-3 seconds, with the side that was facing up (that is, hot). Gently do the same on the lower back, gluteal muscles, outer thighs, lower legs, but excluding the popliteal fossae, because their skin is very sensitive. It is recommended to make such compresses in areas of muscle pain due to physical activity, injuries, also for radiculitis, etc. After the compress has been applied to the feet, we place the brooms on the lower back and at the same time spread them to the sides: towards the feet and head. We perform this technique, which is called “stretching,” 4-5 times, then repeat it on the front surface of the body.

And with this, the soaring procedure can be completed.

The procedure is repeated in the second and third passes, but here, at the end of the soaring, rubbing is applied: with one hand (most conveniently with the left) you need to take the broom by the handle, and with the palm of the other rub the muscles of the back, lower back, gluteal muscles, chest area and limbs, pressing lightly at the same time on the leafy part of the broom.

Never forget that a positive result can be achieved if you strictly follow all the rules.

How to choose the right broom for a birch bath?

The collection of birch brooms for the bath is carried out in accordance with the following rules:

on the 50th day after Easter;
after 2 weeks from Trinity Day;
before catkins appear on the trees
away from transport routes.

Birch branches are cut in dry weather. Care is taken to ensure that the foliage has a uniform green color, without any external defects. The collected raw materials are tied into brooms, which are then dried away from direct sunlight in a spread out or hanging state.

The broom chosen for a steam room should have a birch aroma, be light and fit comfortably in the hand. It is unacceptable to have plaque or spots on straightened green leaves up to 3 cm long. Withered and curled foliage is a sign that the broom was prepared incorrectly, the technique for assembling raw materials was broken.

How to dry bath brooms: DIY preparation

The bath broom is the king of all bath accessories. But only a high-quality and environmentally friendly broom will have a positive effect on your health.

For this reason, it is better to assemble it yourself. But it needs to be done correctly.

Decoration of every Russian bathhouse

It is also extremely important to know how to soak a bath broom to make your bath procedures comfortable. Of course, you can simply buy a ready-made broom in a specialized store with bath accessories. But it’s better to prepare them yourself.

Not everyone understands what types of bath brooms there are. But for a beginner this is not the most important question.

The most important thing is to independently prepare products for the bathhouse according to all the rules. For this reason, we will tell you some rules and secrets of this matter.

The optimal time of year for harvesting brooms

According to traditions, you need to start preparing such accessories for the steam room from the beginning of June.

Photo of succulent birch branches

It is at this time that all plants bloom. The foliage on tree branches grows stronger, gaining juice and aroma. Therefore, it is at this time that it is necessary to collect plant branches.

It is quite reasonable to start collecting bath brooms in June, because the leaves of the trees are already quite large and filled with essential oil glands.

Young shoots of large size demonstrate high elasticity, so the product made from them will be the best.

But how to cut branches:

Branches should be cut in dry weather;
If the foliage gets wet in the rain, it will subsequently deteriorate, darken, fly around and curl during drying. Therefore, in rainy or too wet weather, branches should not be cut. It's better to wait a couple of days.

Types of bath brooms

Products from the most common breeds

Few newcomers to the bath business understand which broom is best for a bath:

The most popular are birch and oak;
Also, experienced bath attendants often prefer combined options, when shoots of different trees are collected in one product. For example, several eucalyptus shoots are added to a collection of oak branches.

Combined version of the sauna bundle

Which brooms are best for a bath is up to the steam room lover to decide. There are no clear rules here. Try different options and see for yourself which one you like best.

Features of preparing a broom for a bath

Raw materials for the future broom should be cut only in ecologically clean areas, which are far from highways. This should be done in the morning, after the dew has disappeared. Then the broom can serve for quite a long time.

Advice! Experts recommend cutting off biennial branches. They grow closer to the ground. They are cut 50-60 cm in length.

Harvesting oak branches

How to knit a broom correctly

Some people do not tie the products in advance, but make peculiar sheaves from the prepared branches. The upper branches of such a sheaf provide reliable protection to the lower ones. Hay is placed on top of the sheaf for additional protection.

And only when a person is going to take a steam bath in a bathhouse, he pulls out the required number of branches from such a sheaf and ties a broom. However, this technology is quite inconvenient.

It is better to prepare in advance the number of bundles you need for the steam room for the year.

Knitting a broom for a steam room should be carried out according to the following rules:

First, spread the cut branches on burlap for several days;
Then you need to collect brooms from the withered branches.

Knitting technology

Knitting instructions:

place the branches in a pile;
place a cord on a stack of branches;
wrap a stack of branches with cord;
pull the cord;
tie the cord into a strong knot;
tighten the knot on the stack of branches;
trim the ends of the cord;
hang the brooms to dry.

Advice! Don't forget to clear the branches of knots and leaves in the area that will later become the handle.

If you know how to brew such a broom, you can steam with it several times.

Birch brooms drying

As for the handle of the product, it should be made quite long. This makes steaming much more convenient. After all, it will not slip out during vigorous swings.

Advice! Don't make the product heavy. Otherwise, it will not be convenient to use.

Bath broom drying technology

How to properly dry bath brooms? There are quite a few ways to carry out this procedure.

However, they all have one important rule in common: drying should be done exclusively in the shade.

When exposed to direct sunlight, the foliage will curl and fade. In addition, all essential oils and aroma will disappear from it. At the first steaming, such a product “goes bald”, leaving all its foliage in the basin;

Advice! Brooms should be dried avoiding strong drafts.

The best place to dry is a dark, cool and dry place. Products must be hung or stacked very carefully. At the same time, they need to be turned over daily to ensure even drying;
The simplest drying method is hanging on a pole;

Drying by hanging on poles

A fan-shaped broom is considered ideal. To get it after a week of drying, they should be tightly tied and placed tightly against each other. Due to this, they will flatten over time. And only then can they be transferred to a storage location.

Advice! A well-dried product has leaves that have a matte greenish tint and a pleasant natural scent of balsamic oil.

If the broom is too dry

There are times when the broom gets too dry. In such a situation, do not get upset and throw away the product. Everything can be corrected.

This kind of bathhouse broom needs to be steamed longer than usual, and then left on the heater. The hot stones will emit steam, which will be absorbed by the branches.

Soaking a bath broom

Not everyone knows how to properly soak a bath broom. Before steaming, the product must be washed and rinsed in water. Their foliage should not be soggy or flabby. Carefully monitor the condition of the brooms.

Advice! After steaming brooms in water, you should not pour it out. If you wash your hair with this water, it will have a beneficial effect on the condition of your hair.

If the broom is made from fresh twigs, then it should not be steamed. Simply rinse it with water to remove any dust or dirt from the leaves.

Oak brooms

How to brew a bath broom correctly? There are several methods to perform this task:

First method (operative)

You need to do the following:

put the broom in a bowl of warm water for a quarter of an hour;
add hot water to the bowl and cover it with a basin;
Turn the product over at regular intervals.

How to properly steam a birch broom for a bath?

During the steaming process, the branches and foliage soften and become flexible. The thorniness disappears. A properly steamed broom brings pleasure in the steam room, evaporates beneficial components and does not damage the skin.

A birch broom is steamed as follows:

rinse the broom with warm water;
place the bath accessory in a steamer with water at +40°C for 7-10 minutes;
After the specified time has passed, add boiling water to the steamer and wait another 10-15 minutes.

When ready for bathing procedures, a birch broom acquires a rich aroma, which intensifies if you hold the accessory over the heater. Birch branches respond to steam with a good release of essential oils that have beneficial properties.

Preparing the broom

1. If the broom is fresh, then the process of preparing it is quite simple. To do this, you need to rinse it in warm water. It is strictly forbidden to steam a broom in boiling water, as this can only ruin it. It is more troublesome to prepare dry brooms (oak and birch). To begin with, they are also rinsed in warm water and then immersed in cold water (no more than 2 minutes). And again, the bath tool is immersed in warm water, and after 5 minutes, boiling water is added and the broom is left in it for 5-10 minutes. In order for the broom to steam well, it must be covered with a lid or any other dense material. During this time, the broom will steam well and begin to exude its aroma throughout the bathhouse.

2. This method is longer and involves preliminary steaming in cold water (5-10 hours). Before going to the steam room, you need to wrap the broom in a damp towel and place it on the bottom shelf for 5 minutes. This broom holds the leaves well, is more fragrant and soft.

So that you can steam with a broom several times, you can turn to another method of preparing it. To do this, the broom at home is rinsed first with warm water and then with hot water, and immediately after insuring the water it must be placed in a waterproof bag. The very next day upon arrival at the bathhouse, you can steam it using the accelerated method (like a fresh broom).

What kind of broom can be used in a bathhouse how many times?

birch broom – 1-2 times;
oak broom – 2-3 times;
pine broom – 3-4 times
nettle broom – 1 time, like all brooms that contain herbs;
alder, linden, cherry, rowan (and all other brooms made from deciduous trees) - 1-2 times.

How to steam with a birch broom for a bath?

Movements with a birch broom should resemble light pats. In the steam room, sharp whippings should be completely avoided. A broom, like a fan, serves to pump healing hot air to the skin and perform massage movements.

Touching the body with a broom should not cause pain or be too strong. The leaves barely touch the skin. Movements with a broom are performed measuredly, from head to toe, on the sides, from shoulders to hands.

How to use a bamboo broom

A bamboo broom is completely different from a bath tool. It has no foliage or branches. It does not need to be steamed, heated, soaked, etc. This is a real massage tool that does not require special treatment.

The bamboo brother is used in the bathhouse exclusively for massage purposes and not in the steam room. You can read detailed information about this broom, as well as a video tutorial on proper use, by clicking on the link.

It is impossible to inject heat into the body with a bamboo broom; it has a completely different effect. Thanks to the fine-frequency vibration created by bamboo sticks, the tone of the skin, muscles, and blood vessel walls increases. This massager increases blood circulation in the smallest vessels - capillaries. The effect of using a bamboo broom will be exactly the same as after a good massage from a professional.

How to properly store a birch broom after a bath?

At the end of the bath procedures, rinse the broom with warm water, shake off excess liquid, and then straighten the twigs. Then the broom is hung in a shaded and well-ventilated room, leaving it in this position until it dries completely.

After the bath accessory has dried, it is wrapped in cotton fabric or covered with straw, then put away for permanent storage in a plastic bag. Storage should be organized in a dark place. Otherwise, the foliage may turn yellow. In urban environments, brooms can be stored on a loggia or balcony.

How to use a eucalyptus broom

The approach to using a eucalyptus broom is also different from the usual one. Eucalyptus branches are thin and flexible. I would call them “flimsy” for a good bath. It is quite difficult to inject heat into the body with them. The brother eucalyptus has no volume; it cannot be compared in splendor and density with birch, oak, and linden brooms.

It also has this property - it is too rich in essential oils; not everyone is ready to firmly accept such aromatherapy in a bathhouse. The aroma of a broom is very unique, so experienced steamers prepare prefabricated steaming tools.

A couple of delicate, thin branches of eucalyptus are added to the composition of the usual birch or oak. The broom will not lose any beneficial properties from this! The valuable substances that eucalyptus leaves are rich in will help relieve pain, treat sprains and bruises, radiculitis and even neuralgia.

Already prepared prefabricated eucalyptus brooms are used and prepared as usual, this was discussed above...

In conclusion, I want to say that when using a broom in the steam room, be careful! There is no need to whip and whip your body as hard as you can. Your movements should be gentle, the broom should barely touch the body.

You should apply heat to the body carefully; too hot a wave can simply burn the body. If the steam room is not too hot, then the movements of the broom can be wide. And if your ears begin to curl up into a “tube”, this means that you are too hot and there is a risk of overheating in the bathhouse.

And of course, it is advisable to use a broom in the steam room while lying down. Therefore, you must have an assistant who will broom you from the heart with a good broom!