Bath brooms preparation and storage. Birch brooms for a bath: features of harvesting, drying and storage

It is believed that oak has a special life-giving power. Even if you stand, tightly hugging a tree, you can feed on energy.

And after a steam room with an oak broom, you will feel renewed at all - if you had wings, it would be just right to fly. Those who like to take a hot steam, like oak products more than others. And since they have increased rigidity, they can be used simultaneously for a good massage.

Why are oak leaves and twigs so useful?

First, a little science: the leaves and twigs of the tree contain very useful essential oils, as well as substances called tannins (the oak gave them such a name). Thanks to their effect, wounds and abrasions heal on the skin, it becomes velvety and acquires a delicate dullness. Therefore, an oak bath is recommended for those whose skin is inflamed, prone to oiliness and excessive porosity.

In addition, the aroma emanating from essential oils, remarkably soothe loosened nerves and relieve stress, help stabilize pressure (which is a godsend for hypertensive patients). And the cores in the steam room with an oak broom become much easier.

And thanks to the large leaves, firmly attached to the branches, such a broom works like a fan, quickly pumping steam.

Remember dates and places

In order to pamper yourself with an excellent accessory in the steam room, you need to collect good raw materials, then tie a broom and dry it, according to the canons.

The general rule for harvesting branches is: you need to collect them before lunch, on a day when the weather is clear and the dew on the grass has already dried up. If it suddenly started to rain, then it is better to postpone the trip.

For an oak, you need to go somewhere from the middle of June (usually after the Trinity). However, the best quality broom is obtained from raw materials collected in July. Then the leaves on the branches hold better, and they themselves become stronger. The end of August marks the end of the harvesting season. Although, if desired, you can pick up branches in September, if it is warm. True, the quality of the broom will be slightly worse.

In different regions, the harvesting season begins and ends at different times. But it should be firmly remembered that after frost this cannot be done categorically. Just waste your time.

When to go cut brooms, and how to do it? Looking for suitable oak trees

Both common oak (called Quercus robur) and Canadian oak (otherwise Quercus rubra or red oak) are suitable for brooms. The latter has leaves of large width and flexible long branches, which is convenient for knitting. There is also Caucasian oak, which is good because its leaves are especially thick and strong.

We choose oak trees with large leaves, growing somewhere in a shady place. It is better if they are three or four meters high. We take a pruner and cut a little of the side branches from each tree - so as not to ruin them. Only a year later, when the oak tree gets stronger, you can come back and take branches from it. They should be straight, flexible and about half a meter long.

Want the most the best broom? Then look for an oak tree with burdock hiding at the base of its trunk. And the most durable product is obtained from the branches of those trees that do not shed their leaves for the winter. They usually grow in the highlands.

When enough branches have been collected, let them lie down for an hour in the shade, spreading them out in one layer. Then we transport, trying not to pack the branches tightly so that they do not overheat on the road. And it will be a pity if the leaves fall off because of this.

How to knit a broom?

To begin with, we reject branches that are stiff or dotted with too little foliage. When knitting, the number of these branches is selected individually - they usually proceed from the thickness of the handle, making it 3 to 5 centimeters in diameter. In the place where it will be, the leaves must be removed (about two palm widths).

There are two ways to form a broom:

• The easiest way is to knit with a ball. To do this, you need to lay the rods evenly in a circle - you get a loose product that has a good volume.
• "Shovel" is the more popular method. We lay the rods flat, so that they press the branch laid earlier, and the outer side of the sheet looks in the middle. This results in a dense veil.

We remember that thinner branches should lie closer to the outer part of the broom, and those that are thicker will be good in the middle. To make it strong and reliable, we fix the product in two places. Where the rods diverge like a fan, we use twine. And wrap the handle around the edge with a cloth (you can take a medical bandage).

Watch how to knit a broom in the video. Remember tips.

To get more pleasure and benefit, we will put healing and fragrant additives in the broom. A pair of rowan branches will invigorate, and coniferous branches will increase the flow of blood in the body and drive away a cold. Bird cherry will serve as a bactericidal drug.

How to dry properly?

First, let's hold the finished accessory under pressure for about a day. This is if you need a flat shape. And then we hang two brooms on a rope where there is a draft and where the rays of the sun do not reach. It is especially necessary to protect them from them - so that the leaves do not overcook, removing all useful substances.

Preserving finished products

If you have a haystack (and suddenly), then you can bury branches in it in the form of sheaves. In this case, we bind brooms immediately before going to the steam room. This method avoids deformation of finished products.

Well, in urban conditions we use a glazed loggia or balcony, garage, dry basement. Any place where it is cold, not damp and there is a draft is suitable. You can wrap the products in paper or put them in cardboard boxes. There are also "advanced" options - vacuum packaging or dry freezing.

As soon as the leaves dry well (it usually takes about a week), our accessory is ready to go to the steam room. Feel free to drop it in hot water. However, just now tied broom You can take it with you, but we use warm water for soaking it.

Steaming in the bath with pleasure

Oak accessories are the most durable. They are enough for five times. But that's about. And so we look at appearance broom - when it finally grows bald and becomes too rough, then you need to change it.

As for the steaming procedure, the easiest way to do it is this: first, dip the broom in cold water (for two or three minutes), and then in hot water (but not boiling water). We cover the basin or bucket and wait until the oak begins to exude a wonderful smell. So - it's time! By the way, the remaining water does not need to be poured out. It is worth splashing it on walls and hot stones. Pleasant and helpful.

After the bath, we pour warm water on the broom to make it clean, and then we put it in a bag and take it to us. At home, you need to hang it on a rope and wait until it dries completely, then put it back in place.

You can take care of extending the resource of your bath assistant. To do this, in the morning we put it in a bucket of warm water for five minutes, then soak a rag in the same water, wring it out slightly and wrap the broom. We put all this in a plastic bag and leave it until the evening, until the steam room, where we dip the broom into a bucket of hot water.

Own or shop - that is the question

In order for a broom to really be useful, it must be made according to all the rules. If you made it yourself, you can be sure of it. And store products - this is how lucky. However, provided that they are purchased in a reliable place, there will be no misfire.

• In your own broom, you can add something for body and soul. For example, a sprig of rowan, Christmas tree or eucalyptus. And in finished products, you will have to be content with "what they give."
• Steaming in a circle of friends, it is much more pleasant to pull out an accessory knitted with one's own hand (or even present it to all friends). It will be very soulful.
• If you visit the bath regularly, with your brooms, the budget savings will come out quite good.

Bath brooms now, as before, are given special attention. It is simply impossible to imagine a bath without them, since it will no longer be her, but something else. In fact, bathers lose their emotional and therapeutic effect, so you need to know when to prepare brooms for a bath and how to do it.

But only correct workpiece brooms for a bath, when all the conventions are met, can be beneficial - help to 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 structure, the foundation of which is laid at the stage when you need to prepare brooms for a bath.

The deadline for preparing bath brooms is very important and should not be missed. Only then can you get that one from them.

During the period when brooms are prepared for the bath, almost all parts of the plant - leaves, buds, thin branches - begin to fill with useful medicinal substances.

In addition, they get:

• 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.

What is a broom

Their range and price are quite diverse, everyone can choose exactly which one he likes best. At the same time, one can take into account the opinion of "bath experts", who claim that each of them has its own healing properties..

The most common are considered from:

• birch;
• oak;
• eucalyptus;
• lindens.

Less commonly used:

• nettle;
• fir;
• cedar;
• juniper;
• from wormwood;
• cherry shoots;
• mountain ash;
• ashen;
• aspen;
• from cherry.

Also recently, combined options have gained popularity, when a few aromatic or medicinal plants are added to the main components:

• linden;
• mint;
• St. John's wort;
• fireweed;
• hyssop;
• lemon balm;
• nettle;
• tansy;
• chamomile;
• currant;
• raspberries.

When they are steamed in the bath, aromas of coniferous forests, garden and meadow plants appear.

Advice: put burning and thorny branches inside, except when burning poultices are needed in the course of treatment.

Harvesting - general knowledge

Most optimal time when it is better to harvest brooms for a bath, it is considered the time of flowering of the herbage. The leaf during this period becomes tender, soft and fragrant, and also already stronger.

Start harvesting on the 49th day after the Easter holiday - on the Trinity, which usually falls at the beginning of summer. The best time is the first half of the day after dew in dry weather. Finish on "Ilyin's Day", August 2, as according to folk beliefs after that day, they no longer have healing power, except for eucalyptus and oak.

Tip: make sure that the leaf holds well, there are no resin and thorns on the branches.

When it is necessary to prepare brooms for a bath, also consider the following factor, do not use growing raw materials:

• next to the road;
• near industrial enterprises;
• close to high voltage lines.

Rules

1. Take care of the plants, cut off with your own hands not all branches in a row, but which are necessary.
2. Choose young plants that are about 2-3 years old, their branches bend well.
3. The birch growing near the water, which is called "weeping" is especially valued:
   
   • the best to take branches near the ground;
   • shoots should be thin, flexible, straight, hanging and long;
   • the leaf should be velvety, not rough.
4. Cut side shoots using pruners for convenience.
5. Do not transport brooms in bags or other containers. It is better to tie them with a rope and put them open.
6. As the folk instruction says, upon arrival they must be immediately untied so that they do not clog, otherwise they will not become elastic and loose.
7. You can start knitting only after 2-3 days after drying them in the utility room, where they should be closed from direct sunlight.
8. Sort branches by length before tying.
9. Remove about a third of the butt of each branch from the leaves, then the broom will disintegrate less and will last for 2-3 steam rooms.

Birch

Most often oak, which is not accidental.

It is no longer a secret to anyone that birch has long been used in folk medicine and in modern as a means:

• diuretic;
• diaphoretic;
• tonic for colds, as well as during surgical operations;
• disinfectant.

You can meet birch in the vastness of our country almost everywhere, we have more than 100 species of it. Bathers love it because of the small and soft leaves that easily slide over the body during the procedure and can be used by everyone without restriction.

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May - best time when to prepare brooms for a birch bath, at the time of the appearance of young leaves on the branches. By Trinity, the shoots will already have collected the right amount of juice and the foliage that has appeared will reach the required size.

If you miss the moment when preparing brooms for the bath, they will no longer give the expected healing effect, and the leaves from them will quickly crumble.

Application

The branches of a birch are flexible and long, therefore they require certain knowledge and skills for use in a steam room. Sometimes, to facilitate use, it is “reinforced” with several oak branches that are placed inside. Now the "tool" will not be so flexible, but this will not affect the efficiency in any way.

Oak

It has anti-inflammatory, astringent and antiseptic properties. A broom made from oak branches is more durable than a birch broom, and heavier, which allows it to produce more steam. Recommended for people with skin problems such as urticaria or eczema, as well as for those who suffer from excessive sweating of the feet and hands.

You high blood pressure and don't know what to do? Use an oak broom in a steam room, of course, before that you should consult a doctor.

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You need to know when to prepare oak brooms for a bath in order to fully benefit from their use. The best option– from June to September.

At the same time, when preparing oak brooms for a bath, its weight and volume should be taken into account, so select the branches in such a way that they are easy to use. Remember, due to their characteristics, they are much more difficult to use, especially after steaming.

Tip: if you want more humidity in the steam room and thick steam, take an oak broom with its broad-leaved branches.

Lime

The most Russian Banya broom- from linden.

The wood of this tree was also used in ancient times:

• for the construction of a bath room;
• benches, shelves, tubs were also made from it;
• made mats, washcloths.

Note!
The aroma of a linden broom in a bath resembles the smell of an apiary, where fresh honey and propolis are.

Healing properties of linden

• Allows you to fight diseases respiratory tract, for example, chronic cough, sore throat, etc. are treated with tea;
• General tonic and sedative;
• Linden blossom cleanses the skin of acne, various rashes, can remove freckles;
• Linden decoction, honey and tea are used to strengthen brittle hair and whiten the skin.

Early spring is the period when it is the best time to prepare linden bath brooms. At this time, the flowering of the plant begins.

Eucalyptus

The end of summer - the beginning of autumn, the period when it is already possible to prepare a broom for a bath from eucalyptus. In this case, use only the twig-like type of plant. It helps with illness respiratory system, neuralgia and joint pain, heals wounds well and reduces pain.

Two or three applications are enough. In addition, it is difficult to find anything better for natural inhalation.

Tip: When using, reinforce the eucalyptus broom with oak branches to make it easier to apply.

Addition

In the form of brooms, you can use shoots and branches of shrubs or bunches of different medicinal herbs. For example, nettle, cherry, mint are suitable for this. Wormwood, currant and others. Prefabricated brooms are also made with their excessive flexibility, like that of eucalyptus or birch.

They are in no way inferior in their healing characteristics to the same type of options.

When making a choice, remember that the use of a broom depends on its flexibility and shape:

1. Oak massive brooms pump more steam. Move them carefully so as not to burn the body.
2. Soft and long - require more sweeping and strong movements.
   
3. When using a broom on your own, you get not only healing effect but also physical activity. Together, this will improve blood circulation, metabolic processes in the body and make it possible to lose weight.

Conclusion

Harvesting brooms is an important step in preparing for bathing procedures. Every tree at some point becomes a treasure trove healing properties so you can't miss this moment. In the presented video in this article you will find Additional information on this topic.

Massage with a birch bath broom is an excellent remedy for pain in muscles and joints, contributing to faster and painless recovery after various physical activity. Birch helps to normalize the condition of acne-prone skin, accelerates the healing of minor wounds and abrasions, and soothes the body as a whole.

One of the most pronounced healing properties of birch broom is intense positive impact on the bronchi - the substances contained in the plant contribute to their expansion, due to which the ventilation of the lungs is normalized and sputum discharge is facilitated. That is why experts especially strongly recommend the use of birch brooms to smokers and patients with asthma and allergies.

The composition of birch leaves contains vitamins A and C, many essential oils, tannins and other useful components. So that they are fully preserved in the broom and most effectively show their useful action, you need to know, firstly, how birch leaves are harvested for a bath, and secondly, how to properly use the finished device. It is with this information that you are invited to familiarize yourself with the study of the information below.

In ancient times, the preparation of bath brooms was traditionally done 1-2 weeks after the Holy Trinity Day. As a rule, this holy feast falls in June. Along with this, due to significant differences in climatic conditions in different regions of Russia, focus on only one folk custom it’s not worth it - in many areas the birch does not have time to blossom by the Trinity, and there is little sense from a broom from such branches.

The principle is as follows: we focus on the characteristics of birch ripening. The maximum strengthening of the sheet will indicate the imminent appearance of earrings. This short time period, when the leaves are the strongest, and the earrings are not yet available, is the most suitable for preparing the right bath brooms.

Bath brooms are traditionally made from weeping birch. Usually these trees have a rather impressive height, while possessing long, strong and quite flexible branches. Beautiful brooms are obtained from the branches of young and previously unflowered birch trees - such trees have the most delicate leaves.

Useful advice! When choosing branches, make sure that the upper side of the leaves is not rough, the branches are straight and rather thin, and the leaves themselves are velvety and tender.

Photo of a weeping birch near a reservoir - suitable tree to collect raw materials

Branches can be cut with a sharp knife or harvested in some other suitable way. For greater convenience, the collector can climb a tree, bend it down, tie it to some neighboring tree and collect the required number of branches. Birch, as noted, is quite flexible and durable, so such manipulations, provided they are carefully performed, will not harm.

Important! Do not immediately tie the collected branches too tightly. The material is hung on a strong rope under a protective canopy so that direct contact with the sun is excluded. There must be a draft in the room. A week later, the brooms are already quite thoroughly dry. In this state, they are allowed to be laid out tightly on racks in a dry, ventilated room, for example, a dressing room or a barn.

It is better that the finished bath broom looks like a fan, and does not look like a broom. To comply with this recommendation, a fresh broom should be laid out on the floor and turned over daily, repeating until the products are dry. Otherwise, the material may dry out or dry incorrectly.

For example, if the harvester ties birch branches tightly from the very beginning, the leaves in the center of the broom will become dark and “burn out”, which is why they will have practically no aroma.

The color of correctly dried brooms is concentrated green, pleasant matte. The branches should emit a scent of balsamic birch oil, which intensifies when steamed.

It is also correct to collect branches on brooms in June for the reason that during this period the leaves already grow to a fairly large size, but retain desired level essential oil glands, which are present, at the same time, not only in foliage, but also in young birch shoots. Non-old large shoots retain high elasticity, thanks to which whipping with such a broom is easily tolerated by a visitor to the bath.

Summing up the above, we can draw the following conclusion: branches with strong and young leaves are used to harvest birch brooms. Such foliage contains a maximum of useful components for humans. On the territory of Russia, depending on the climatic zone, the optimal time for harvesting birch brooms can vary from early June to mid-July.

Choosing a time and place to collect branches

The right time for harvesting determines the quality, service life, aroma and softness of brooms. For example, if you collect branches too early, subsequent steaming will make the broom flimsy, short-lived and slippery. A well-prepared product will “keep the sheet” for as long as possible.

A high-quality broom is fragrant, durable and “holds the leaf” well

Dry weather is chosen for harvesting. If the foliage is moistened with dew or rainwater, when dried, it will collapse, twist, fly around, darken. If it rained the day before, it is better to wait a few days, and only after that collect branches for the preparation of brooms.

To assemble branches, choose an environmentally friendly place, remote from highways and other pollutants. In practice, two-year-old branches growing near the ground have the best properties. For cutting, it is convenient to use a secateurs.

What to do with branches after harvesting?

An attic is well suited for storing harvested branches, even better - a pile of hay. For storage of blanks in urban conditions, a balcony or even a mezzanine is suitable. In this case, the brooms will need to be wrapped in paper bags first.

Drying brooms on the roof of the barn is also allowed. This is done in the following sequence:

• meadow hay is spread over the roof;
• birch branches with small gaps are laid out on hay;
• a layer of hay is laid out on top of the branches;
• daily (some experts advise increasing this interval to 2-3 days), the branches turn over. This is done throughout the month.

Most often, dried blanks are tied in pairs to a rope and stored in this position. You can not knit brooms at once, but combine branches into small sheaves. Sheaves are wrapped in hay and stored in the attic. Before going to the bath, the required number of branches is pulled out of the sheaf and tied into a broom.

Instructions for knitting a birch broom with your own hands

The image shows a step-by-step sequence of knitting a birch broom for a bath. For a better understanding of the process, check out the more detailed guide for this activity. The necessary information is presented in the table.

Table. Knitting a birch broom

Stage of work	Description	A photo
	Pre-spread dried birch branches on burlap and leave for a couple of days. Branches dried in this way are better suited for harvesting birch brooms.
	At this moment, everything is individual: some attendants love massive brooms, others prefer small products. The only standardized recommendation is regarding the length: keep it within 0.4-0.8 m. A shorter or longer broom will simply be inconvenient to use.
	At the location of the handle, knots and foliage are removed. In general, about a third of the total length of the product is subject to cleaning.
	The peeled branches are collected together. The product, in this case, is given a flattened shape. The frame is created from thicker branches - they must be placed inside the future product. Thin blanks are laid out around the frame. Position them with an inward bend. The leaves should be facing in the same direction, and the branches should lie like a fan. In this case, the broom in the course of the bath massage will “hug” the body of the bather. One thick and dense product is enough for an average of 2-3 visits to the steam room. After that, it crumbles and becomes unusable.
	Pre-cleaned and collected branches are wrapped with twine: with one hand you squeeze the workpieces, with the other you wind the rope. There are no secrets here: the main thing is that the branches are tightly fastened. A strip of fabric is wound at the end of the handle - without it, there is a high risk of getting blisters in the future. The recommended handle length is 150 mm. The highest quality is ensured when tying the branches with twine in several rows near the foliage, and not along the length of the handle - a handle with a free end is more convenient to use, it will not slip out even with the most powerful movements.

Useful advice! When assembling a broom, add some fragrant herbs to its composition. For example, thyme and chamomile are well suited, mint and blackcurrant do not interfere. If nettles, spruces and other thorny plants are added, they should be placed inside the product to eliminate the risk of injury and discomfort.

Don't make the broom too heavy. At this moment, be guided by your own feelings: the product should be comfortable and light just for you.

Subsequent drying of brooms

There are many ways to dry brooms. Regardless of the characteristic features of each method, there remains one main general rule: brooms should dry in the shade. Direct contact with the sun's rays leads to rapid fading and curling of leaves, volatilization of fragrant and useful components, loss of aroma and external qualities. A broom dried in the sun will crumble immediately after steaming.

The room should have a moderate draft. The presence of powerful drafts is unacceptable, because. because of them, the final quality of the finished brooms will also not be the best. Ideally, the chosen room should be dry, cool and dark. During drying, brooms can be both folded and hung. To ensure uniform drying of the branches, as noted, the blanks must be turned over daily.

The easiest drying option involves hanging brooms from a pole or even a simple rope. To provide protection from the sun, the cord is pulled under a suitable canopy.

It was previously mentioned that best form for a broom is a fan. To ensure compliance with this recommendation, about a week after the start of drying (during this period, the brooms begin to rustle a little), you need to tightly tie the collected branches and lay the blanks tightly. They will cuddle and gradually flatten, becoming like a fan.

Some clarifications require a method involving drying in hay. First, the hay must be sufficiently dried and fresh. Laying of products, in this case, is carried out in circular layers. The foliage should be directed directly to the center of the stack. Fragrant hay is laid between the layers. Drying in such conditions contributes to the maximum preservation of aroma, color, as well as shape and quality characteristics.

It is possible that the first harvesting experience will end with the drying of the products. In this case, you should not get too upset and get rid of blanks - brooms can be “reanimated”. To do this, “marriage”, firstly, must be steamed for a longer (literally several minutes) time, and secondly, after steaming, the product should be held on the heater. Steam emanating from the stacked stones will contribute to the rapid restoration of brooms.

Important! After carrying out "resuscitation measures", be sure to remove the fallen leaves from the heater.

Recommendations for further storage of birch brooms

Having prepared brooms, ensure their proper and careful storage. The room should be cool, shady and well ventilated. Violation of any of the above recommendations will lead to yellowing and discoloration of the foliage, it will lose its aroma and freshness.

Hay is well suited for storing brooms, as well as for pre-drying them. In such conditions, the foliage will be even more saturated with useful elements, due to which its aroma will noticeably improve. For storage in urban areas, plastic or paper bags and vacuum packaging can be used.

If a bath broom crumbles due to repeated use, an excuse can be found for this - nothing lasts forever. Much more tragic are the situations when the foliage instantly flies around after the first steaming. This state of affairs is direct evidence of a violation of the rules for harvesting birch brooms.

You can find a description of the most common errors in the following table.

Table. Mistakes when preparing bath brooms

Practice shows that brooms are best prepared with a small margin. However, you should not be too zealous either: it is much more pleasant to use a fragrant and fresh broom every time.

Before use, brooms are traditionally steamed. Fresh products do not need such preliminary preparation - they can become sour. Dry blanks before use are dipped for 10-15 minutes in cool water, then for a couple of minutes in boiling water.

If the birch broom is too dry, the steaming time can be increased. In this case, the basin is filled with boiling water, after which the product is lowered into the water and covered with a second bowl on top. Another a good option- dip the product in boiling water for a couple of seconds, and then put it on the heater. In this case, you need to carefully monitor the condition of the broom, slightly shaking and rotating it to prevent burning. Usually, 2-3 such approaches with a total duration of up to 1.5-2 minutes are enough to bring the broom back to normal.

It is more convenient to go to the bath with brooms together. The person undergoing a massage session is located in a supine position. It is recommended that the performer first wear gloves so as not to get blisters (if a fabric is wound around the handle, as recommended in the instructions above, you can refuse to use gloves).

Tune in right away: soaring with a broom is a whole science. First of all, remember the most important rules:

• massage is performed with a wet broom. Periodically, the product should be moistened with a little warm water;
• touches with a broom to the body should be light, soft and barely perceptible;
• if the steam room is heated to more than 60 degrees, you need to use a birch broom as carefully as possible, otherwise the steam will leave burns.

Competent bath massage improves blood circulation, normalizes metabolic processes, gets rid of pathogens, strengthens the skin.

The traditional sequence of bath massage using a broom is as follows.

One person lies on his stomach and places his hands along the body. The second bath attendant takes 2 birch brooms and carefully, slowly, from the bottom up, strokes the torso of the first bath attendant. Brooms, at the same time, do not come off the skin. During the reverse movement, birch brooms are carried out on the sides of the body. You need to repeat all this 2-3 times.

At the next stage, the massage therapist lifts the birch brooms up to take in some heated air, after which he lowers them onto the lumbar region of the first attendant and presses them with his hand for a couple of seconds. Such manipulation helps to restore the spinal muscles after heavy loads, get rid of pain and quickly cure various injuries.

If you take bath procedures without brooms, then the effect of skin cleansing and the benefits of the procedure are reduced.

From pain in the lower back and back, the so-called. stretching. To carry it out, both birch brooms are placed on the lower back, after which one is assigned to the back of the head, and the second to the legs. It is necessary to make such a wiring at the same time. Similarly, the knees and shoulder blades are worked out.

Important! During the massage, you need to make sure that the brooms touch the body of the attendant, and not just move through the air. Violation of this recommendation in an overheated steam room will lead to burns. If an unpleasant burning sensation is detected, the broom should be moistened with cool water.

A very useful technique is fastening. Such a massage is carried out by providing fast lashing movements with the end of a birch broom on the bath attendant's body. The back is worked out first, then the lower back, and in the end they pay attention to the pelvis, hips and further to the feet. The whole procedure takes about a minute. At the end, the body of the bather is stroked with brooms, but at a higher speed than at the beginning of the procedure.

A stronger massage is whipping. It is carried out in the following sequence:

• the broom rises up to capture some air;
• all parts of the body are whipped 2-3 times;
• alternately with whippings, a “compress” is performed (described earlier, when the broom is pressed against the body for a couple of seconds).

Plowing is also an interesting and useful massage technique, which involves lightly waving a broom with barely perceptible touches on the skin. “Processing” is best to start from the legs, gradually moving up along the body, and then pay attention to the sides, moving in the opposite direction. During the procedure, light warm air currents will be felt.

If it is necessary to warm up the body more intensively, the broom should be periodically lifted up and shaken. A broom heated in this way is pressed for a couple of seconds to the lower back and shoulder blades, knees, and feet. If necessary, cool the product with cool water.

The massage ends with rubbing. To do this, the performer takes the broom by the handle, and with the other hand, slightly pressing on the part with foliage, slowly and gradually rubs the body. The legs and arms are rubbed along, the torso is worked out in all directions.

Important! After the described massage, a slight dizziness may occur - be careful in your movements.

Easy steam for you!

Prices for birch brooms for a bath

birch brooms

Video - Harvesting birch brooms for a bath

Brooms are the visiting card of the Russian bath. They create that unique atmosphere and spirit of the steam room. Without them, a steam room would be no different from a sauna. A whole tradition is associated with the preparation of brooms and their use. It would seem, what could be simpler than blanks? Cut branches about 60-65 cm long, tie and dry. However, in reality, there are some subtleties that allow you to preserve the aroma of the leaves and at the same time prevent the branches from falling off.

Tradition

Preparation of brooms for a bath begins every year at a certain period. As a rule, this is Trinity Day. It usually falls in mid-June.

Before you start harvesting, you need to pay attention to the weather.

In wet times, when it rains, the branches are not collected. But the dew will be very favorable for collection.

It is better to choose the first half of the day for this event. This is the time when the dew has barely left the vegetation.

The question may arise: when to collect bath brooms if it rains on Trinity? If the weather is unfavorable, then the procedure is postponed for a couple of days.

Brooms are definitely useful. They produce a massage effect. Besides, positive influence various substances that they contain have an effect on the body.

The main condition is the ecological purity of the product.

The collection of branches for brooms should be done outside the city, better - in the forest.

If it is not possible to do all this yourself, then you can buy ready-made ones. They are made in rural areas on purpose, observing the technology that was guided by the ancestors.

Varieties of brooms

Brooms are:

• oak;
• birch;
• juniper;
• lime;
• combined.

These branches are most often used for knitting. However, amateurs can add other branches to traditional brooms. It is known that in medicinal purposes nettles can be placed among the oak branches. Combined can combine branches of oak, linden and birch.

birch

Birch broom in urban conditions is the most popular. It is fragrant, medicinal properties and very gentle.

In order to make them, you need to choose the right tree. Connoisseurs recommend paying attention to the so-called "weeping" birches. They have long, drooping branches that lean towards the ground.

Good brooms are obtained from young birch trees. Before starting the collection, you need to touch the leaves. FROM outside they should be smooth and tender. If the surface of the leaves is rough, then it is better to find another tree.

Thin and flexible branches are a guarantee of a good fragrant broom. Before drying, the birch is not tied very tightly; there should be free space between the branches. Otherwise, the leaves may lose their quality and color.

juniper

For a juniper broom, you need to collect the branches of this shrub, lovers of bath procedures know its value. Collection takes place in late spring and early summer. Juniper secretes resins that have a beneficial effect on health.

During the collection, do not tear the branches of one shrub. It might hurt him. You have to be careful and reasonable. Juniper branches are used in the bath in three cases:

• for knitting juniper brooms;
• to be included in the regular;
• for lining the floor in the steam room.

The term for harvesting juniper branches lasts until mid-summer.

Before use, such brooms are steamed with boiling water for half an hour so that they become suitable for a bath.

Oak

Oak is a real classic along with birch. The branches of this tree are harvested in the second half of summer, more often in August-September. Young shoots are ideal for this.

Oak brooms do not absorb sweat well, they are always dry. However, they hardly fly around and are well suited for people with oily skin. Oak also helps with hypertension. The tannins contained in this plant perfectly cleanse the skin.

Nettles

Nettle besoms are often used for medicinal and recreational purposes. They do not burn the skin if properly prepared. When to harvest nettles? It is better to choose the period when the plant is still quite young. This time is from May to July.

It is necessary to cut the nettle shoots in a clean area. In urban conditions, it is difficult to find environmentally friendly thickets of this plant. Nettle growing along the highways will not work.

Nettle tones, relieves muscle pain, sciatica and aching joints.

So that it does not burn the skin, it is necessary to alternately dip the broom into boiling water and cold water two or three times. After that, it can be safely used in the steam room.

Eucalyptus

Terms of harvesting eucalyptus - the end of July - August. Eucalyptus brooms are great for removing various colds, relieve the common cold, tone up. They also restore women's health.

They are used mainly in the Caucasus, where it is easier to get eucalyptus. In Russia, such brooms can be bought. The aroma of this plant is unique.

Eucalyptus branches are used not only for baths, but also for medicinal purposes. For example, in the form of inhalations.

Wormwood brooms have long been popular in Russian baths. This plant leaves a special aroma that cannot be compared with anything else. Wormwood is also added to birch, nettle and oak brooms.

Wormwood begins to be collected during the flowering period. At this time it is most useful.

Dry the wormwood in bunches.

Before drying it is necessary to check all the branches well. The first stage of drying occurs immediately after collection, when the branches are loosely tied, having previously sorted out and removed all defective ones. Then such bunches are hung on a rope or poles and left for a week.

When the week is up, you can start knitting brooms. Not everyone knows how to do this. So:

• thick branches should be inside, and thin - outside;
• the broom handle should be made longer, for this the lower sides of the branches are cleared of leaves and knots;
• firmly grasping the branches with your left hand, you need to tie the handle with twine as tightly as possible.

At the end of the binding, it is necessary to make the correct stacking for storage.

It is better to put brooms one on top of the other, so that later they take the form of a fan, and not a broom. Products of this form are of the highest quality, they are enough for about 3 times in a steam room.

When brooms are connected, the question arises of how and where to store them. There are several storage methods.

1. A dry dressing room is a good place to decompose there fresh brooms. They are stacked on top of each other, and gradually flattened, their heads take the form of a fan.
2. Can be stored in the attic by laying hay down. The main thing is that the place is dry and ventilated.
3. In urban conditions, a good storage place is on the balcony or in an insulated, ventilated garage. On the balcony they must be covered from moisture.

During storage, brooms can be shifted, placing raw ones on top, and already dried ones on the bottom. As a result, the leaves should look green and exude fragrance. If the sheet has lost color, then the drying was carried out incorrectly. Such products can be considered damaged.

The history of the bath broom

The history of the bath broom is as vague as the history of the Russian bath. However, it is known that it began to be used even by the Slavs, who believed that this “bouquet” of leaves doubles the benefits of the steam room and heals.

The most popular are two types: oak and birch. They were considered medicinal. Healers used them for medical purposes to expel ailments.

When in the West they decided to adopt the Russian pair tradition, they still could not fully realize it. First, not a single Westerner could withstand such heat, which is so loved by Russians. And, secondly, only in the Russian bath there was a broom.

The sauna does not use brooms because it is not possible. The air is too dry there, and they just fly around. Some historians associate the appearance of the Russian bath with the Turkish one. However, in no country is there a custom to bathe with a broom. That is why this attribute is a distinctive feature of Russian steam rooms.

The tradition of bathing until the 19th century in the Russian hinterland was closely connected with various rituals. For example, steamed after the wedding night. Moreover, the newlyweds took a bath together. Before visiting the church, they also steamed. It was believed that a bath and a broom would cleanse from sins.

Video

The process of harvesting brooms in the following video:

Useful information about the properties of various brooms:

The bath allows not only to wash, but also helps to improve health. AT heat allows you to completely relax all the muscles, open up the pores and help the body get rid of pollution in the form of toxins and toxins that enter with food, water, air.

In the literal sense, after a steam bath, a person becomes younger - the skin becomes more beautiful, gaining healthy look metabolism normalizes, work improves of cardio-vascular system and the general tone of the body rises.

It is not for nothing that they say: "Whoever bathes in a bathhouse does not age for a long time!"

But not only a high temperature is important for improving well-being. No less important is such an accessory as a broom.

Today, brooms are made from a variety of plants - there are juniper, oak, wormwood brooms, brooms from tansy, nettle, eucalyptus, mountain ash, linden.

But one of the most popular for many centuries in a row is a birch broom. Why is he so good? Let's find out in this article what is the use oak broom how to properly harvest, store, and then steam a broom from birch branches.

What is the use of a birch broom?

A broom in the bath can work real miracles. Branches and leaves steamed in hot water are not only a source of a delicate aroma that fills the steam room, but also a source of many useful substances - phytancides, flavonoids and aromatic essential oils that have a beneficial effect on all body systems.

Penetrating into the skin, they saturate it with useful microelements, restoring beauty and elasticity, and volatile essential oils inhaled with air improve the functioning of the respiratory system, cleansing the lungs. This is especially true for smokers and people working in hazardous industries.

Skillful "grooming" with a broom of different parts of the body improves subcutaneous blood flow and lymphatic drainage, contributing to the destruction and removal of plugs from toxins and toxins that interfere with normal blood circulation and form an unpleasant "orange peel" cellulite.

In this case, you do not need to whip the broom hard on the skin. Movements should resemble light pats, and the broom should act as a fan, driving waves of healing hot air.

Properly sweating with a broom, a person literally transforms - the mood improves, there is a surge of strength. The charge of energy after visiting the bath is stored for a long time, keeping the body in good shape.

When to harvest birch brooms?

From time immemorial, a very specific time was chosen for harvesting brooms, when it was believed that the plants were in the juice itself and the benefits from such a broom would be maximum.

As a rule, brooms were collected and knitted on the 50th day after Easter or 2 weeks after Trinity. The leaves at this time are in the juice itself and have the strongest and most pleasant aroma.

Birch brooms are harvested in the 2nd-3rd decade of June before the earrings appear on the trees. The leaf should by this time become smooth, velvety.

How to prepare birch brooms?

To collect brooms, it is better to choose dry weather. Harvested in the dry season, brooms have strong leaves that hold well and do not fly around when dried.

Collected in rainy weather, brooms darken, their leaves curl and fall off the branches.

If rainy weather sets in after Trinity, you should not rush, you should wait until it clears up and the rain stops.

It is best to collect branches for brooms away from highways and large cities. If possible, it is better to go to some remote corner where the trees are not exposed to harmful substances contained in car exhaust and industrial emissions.

To collect branches, you will need a secateurs, the purchase of which should be taken care of in advance.

The best branches for brooms are thin lower branches, those that grow closer to the ground. They are softer, but at the same time quite durable. If you like to whip properly with a broom, then you can choose branches that are more elastic.

How to knit a birch broom?

For knitting a broom, branches 40-80 cm long without dry knots and with a large number of leaves are best suited. If you like to bathe alone, then it is better to choose longer branches. This will allow you to make a broom with which you can soar your back without assistance.

Before starting to knit a broom, the branches must be cleared of knots, and also the lower part of the branches must be freed from leaves, where the broom handle will be.

Long branches are cut with secateurs.

After that, they collect a broom and tie all the branches with ropes.

As you can see, tying a broom is not so difficult. After that, the brooms should be thoroughly dried so that they are stored for a long time, and the wood and leaves do not deteriorate.

How to dry a birch broom?

In order for the brooms to retain their properties, do not deteriorate and do not become covered with rot or mold, they must be thoroughly dried.

In this case, the following rules must be observed:

• the broom should not dry in a draft;
• the broom should not be dried in direct sunlight;
• the broom should not be dried in a room with high humidity;
• the broom should be dried in a room with good ventilation.

A wooden shed is perfect for drying brooms, where you can hang them on ropes to dry.

If you live in a city apartment, it is best to purchase a ready-made broom. But you can dry on the balcony. To do this, you can hang brooms on clotheslines, closing from direct sunlight.

You can dry brooms in a suspended or lying position. In the supine position, the brooms are dried and then stored in the hayloft, periodically turning over. Such brooms then look flatter, less bristling.

How to choose the right broom when buying?

If you do not have the time or opportunity to independently collect twigs, knit and then dry brooms, then you can buy ready-made ones.

But when buying, you should carefully choose high-quality specimens so that the broom delivers the greatest benefit.

To do this, you should first of all pay attention to the size of the leaves. For a birch broom, the size of the leaves should not be more than 3 cm. The leaves on a birch reach this size just in time for the best time for harvesting brooms.

Leaves should not be curled. Most of the leaves should be flat. This suggests that they were dried correctly, observing the drying regime. If the brooms are dried with heat or in the hot sun, they wither, and the leaves curl up, losing their shape and beautiful appearance.

Also pay attention to the color of the leaves in the broom. If the leaves have a yellow or brown tint, then, probably, such brooms were harvested in the fall from branches that had already lost all their healing properties.

How to steam a birch broom?

Why do you need to steam a broom? First of all, this is done in order to soften the branches and make them more flexible and less prickly. Soaked twigs and leaves will not damage the skin, will not injure or scratch. In addition, having absorbed moisture, the broom begins to evaporate therapeutic essential oils, and the leaves and bark of birch branches release useful substances that saturate the skin when "grooming" with a broom.

But for this, the broom must be properly steamed. This is done in the following way. First, the broom should be doused with warm water and placed in a basin or bucket of cool water for a few minutes.

After that the broom take them out cold water and lowered into water heated to about 40 degrees, where it is left for 5-7 minutes.

After that, boiling water is added. to make the water really hot, cover with a lid and let stand for another 10-15 minutes.

A birch broom steamed in this way becomes elastic and begins to exude a delicate aroma. To enhance the pleasant smell, you can hold the broom over the stove, turning it slowly. The heat from the stones will enhance the release of the volatile essential oils. contained in birch branches.

How to bathe with a birch broom?

It is necessary to bathe with a broom so that it acts as a fan, forcing hot air to the skin. You should not whip with a broom. Touches should not be painful and strong. The broom should barely pat on the skin. This will stimulate blood flow and saturate the skin. useful substances, while increasing sweating and the release of toxins and toxins accumulated in the body.

Below you can watch a video on how to properly bathe with a broom.