How to steam a birch broom for a bath?

Love for the Russian bath is explained by the fact that you can wash in it and relieve fatigue and stress. But what kind of bath can be without a broom, especially a birch one? Massage with it brings invaluable benefits to the body. And the combination of hot air, steam and aromas of leaves, as it was believed in the old days, can cure any ailment. The main thing is to know how to steam it up correctly.

Going to the steam room is also a whole science. You need to thoroughly prepare for it. Choose the appropriate equipment and the main attribute for the bath - a broom. Usually it is purchased dry and then steamed. The purpose of this procedure is to give the branches and foliage freshness, flexibility and aroma.

And also the procedure is recommended for workers in hazardous industries and for people with diseases of the kidneys and musculoskeletal system.

Due to its positive properties, a birch broom is an excellent remedy for the prevention of a large number of diseases. Essential oils, vitamins and tannins secreted by foliage and bark have the following positive qualities:

• increase tone and strengthen the immune system;
• the skin after bath procedures becomes velvety and elastic;
• remove toxins and toxins from the body;
• accelerate the healing of abrasions and wounds;
• cleanse the lungs and facilitate the work of the respiratory system;
• activate metabolic processes and accelerate blood circulation;
• help fight cellulite;
• relieve pain in joints and muscles;
• strengthen hair follicles and eliminate dandruff.

And most importantly, massage with a broom relaxes, soothes and cheers up. But, despite the enormous benefits for the body, there are contraindications to its use. It:

• heart diseases;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• epilepsy;
• respiratory tract diseases;
• diabetes;
• damage to the skin;
• circulatory disorders;
• the rehabilitation period after a heart attack and strokes.

People with these limitations need to avoid not only using the main bath accessory, but also going to the steam room.

There are several methods for preparing a birch broom.

• Contrasting. Its essence lies in the fact that first it must be soaked in cold water, then in warm (40-45 C?). After 5 minutes, boiling water is added to the basin, and the container is closed with a lid. This allows the broom to stand for 10 minutes before being ready for use. This temperature difference makes the birch branches look almost fresh and fragrant. Before use, experienced bath attendants recommend holding the broom over the stove. So he will absorb the steam.

• Hardening... This process is much longer than the previous one. It takes 10-15 hours. The broom should be soaked in cold water and left there overnight. During this time, the leaves and branches will absorb moisture and become fresh and fragrant. Then the bath accessory should be shaken and wrapped in a cotton cloth, placed on the lower shelf in the steam room for another half hour.

• Sparing. The method consists in keeping birch twigs in a wet cotton cloth for a day in a bath. Wood and foliage will take in as much moisture as they need.Before direct use, the broom must be scalded with boiling water, shaken and dried over an oven with stones for a few seconds. The water will thus turn into steam, and the smell of fresh leaves will fill the steam room.

• Express method... In another way, it is also called shock. This is the simplest and most common way. Due to its speed and lightness, it is used much more often than others. You need to brew boiling water, pour it into a basin, put a broom there and close it with a lid or another basin. After the temperature of the water is tolerable for the skin, the broom can be removed, shaken and dried over a stove.

• Ultra-fast... The essence of the method is that birch branches must first be brewed in water and then kept on a stove. Enough 30-40 seconds. During this time, the water turns into hard steam, which softens twigs and foliage.

Any method of steaming has its advantages. Their main goal is to restore flexibility to the branches, and freshness and aroma to birch leaves.

Despite the large number of ways there are certain norms for this procedure.

• Before steaming, the broom should be rinse with cold water to remove dust.
• In order for the rods to become elastic and the leaves fresh, steaming must be carried out for the first time. always in cool water.
• After soaking, the bunch of branches is turned over and placed with the cuttings down. So water penetrates into the wood itself, and it is well impregnated with liquid.

Branches are collected away from transport highways in the first half of June (preferably before June 20). It is necessary that the foliage has already blossomed, and the earrings have not appeared yet. You need to cut branches on a sunny dry day before noon. The ideal harvest time is the morning after dew has fallen.

The collected armfuls of branches are laid out on a horizontal surface in a well-ventilated room. In order for them to dry properly, they need to be turned over daily. So they should lie in the shade for about a week.

Then a birch broom is formed. The twigs are collected in a bouquet in such a way that thicker branches remain in the middle. If desired, you can put several stems of wormwood, eucalyptus or currant in the center. Then the armful is pulled together and tied with a rope or twine, and the place under the handle is cleared of knots.

In order for the ligaments to take a fan-shaped shape, symmetrical on both sides, they are stacked on top of each other. All this takes about a week and a half. Ready-made brooms should consist of thin twigs about 5 cm long. The optimal base thickness is 5-6 cm. After drying, the leaves should remain flat and green, without spots and plaque.

Incorrect preparation of the main bath accessory threatens its short service life. Leaves can fly around, and the rods break at the first contact with boiling water.

In fact, in addition to strictly adhering to technology, there are many nuances that experienced bathers take into account:

• the first time you use the bath attribute, it is better to use only in a gentle mode;
• in order to bring a broom into the steam room, it is desirable first hold in the dressing room so that it warms up;
• do not steam freshly cut or recently harvested rods, the leaves in this case will cook, become sticky and heavy, the steam room will not be filled with a light aroma of foliage, but an unpleasant smell of hay;
• fresh broom is enough just rinse in warm water;
• the water remaining after soaking birch branches contains phytoncides and nutrients. Therefore, it is recommended to rinse your hair with this liquid. It tones the skin, strengthens the roots, gives shine and aroma to the hair.

A properly prepared broom should not fall off after the first use. Ideally, it should be enough for 3-4 times.For this, even after bath procedures, he needs some care. Namely: it must be rinsed in warm water, shaken off excess liquid and hung in a warm, dry room, after having straightened the twigs.

For information on how to properly brew a birch broom for a bath, see the video.