Oak broom for a bath: how to steam correctly and when to prepare?

The oak broom is one of the most popular and beloved brooms in the bathhouse; it is difficult to imagine a traditional steam bath in a Russian bathhouse without it. From time immemorial in Rus', oak was considered a symbol of Russian strength, and therefore an oak broom was more often used when soaring men. Oak is durable and if you choose the right oak broom, you can steam with it not just once, but several times, it will not lose its properties. Those who like to steam “from the heart” should buy an oak broom for a bath, as its large leaves give off hot steam.

The benefits of oak brooms for the body

Oak brooms have the following healing properties:

Due to the size and shape of the leaves, they are excellent at generating steam .
Tannins (catechins) have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and are useful for massage.
Normalizes the condition of oily skin prone to rashes, ulcers and inflammation. Reduces the activity of fat glands.
They have a positive effect on varicose veins .
Thanks to the effects of essential oils, blood pressure is normalized in hypertension .
Oak procedures help get rid of fatigue, relieve tension and nervousness, and have a relaxing effect .
They have a beneficial effect on the sweat glands, reducing foot sweating .
Relieves rheumatic pain.

Many ancient peoples endowed oak with magical properties, the ability to ward off evil spirits, help preserve eternal youth, etc. Oak bath brooms, unlike birch brooms, are rougher. They are not suitable for sensitive skin .
Due to the leaves firmly attached to the branches, they are durable.

The benefits of brooms for a bath

Bath brooms have a beneficial effect on the entire body. With their help, you can not only raise the heat in the steam room, but also cleanse the skin, remove toxins from the body, and free the body from toxins. Bath brooms also have a beneficial effect on the overall skin tone, improve the functioning of the respiratory system, and help strengthen the immune system.

The benefits of birch broom

Birch is a treasure trove of beneficial substances that are deposited on the skin under the influence of steam and heat. When heated, phytoncides are released, which purify the air of harmful bacteria. Using a birch broom in a bathhouse is very useful for many reasons:

Beneficial effect on the diuretic system and kidneys;
Cleansing the body of toxins and waste;
The skin becomes soft, smooth, silky, clean, the cover is rejuvenated;
The functioning of the respiratory system improves, asthma attacks go away;
Extremely useful for those who smoke or live in cities with dirty air;
Elastic, suitable for massage;
Contains many different essential oils that are effective in combating acne and skin diseases.

The benefits of an oak broom

An oak broom smells pleasant and fills the air with pleasant energy of vivacity, strength and positivity. Oak leaves contain tannic acids, which have a beneficial effect on the skin. An oak broom differs from a birch broom in that oak reduces sweat (unlike birch). Therefore, this option is suitable for people with oily skin.

Oak leaves contain flavonoids, which have a beneficial effect on blood vessels, improve the functioning of the nervous system, and are good for the heart.

The benefits of maple broom

Maple leaves are flexible and whippy. Their high density and large size allow you to quickly bring heat into the bathhouse and steam the body. In folk medicine, maple is used due to the presence of tannins, alkaloids, and carotene in it. Maple leaves are a powerful antiseptic that disinfects the air.

It is believed that maple combines the properties of oak and birch. Therefore, if you want to give your body great benefits from the steam room, then it is useful to choose maple brooms for the bath.

The benefits of juniper broom

One of the most valuable advantages of a juniper broom is that it contains natural antibiotics that have a positive effect on the entire body.

Thanks to a juniper broom, you can strengthen the immune system, clear the respiratory tract of mucus, improve the condition of the skin, give it tone and rejuvenate.

The aroma that appears when using juniper cannot be expressed in words, so you just need to try a steam room with this broom.

Using a juniper broom has the following effects on the body:

Raises vitality, improves mood;
Relieves chronic fatigue;
Relieves skin diseases, acne, wounds and shallow cuts.

Unlike other plants, a coniferous bathhouse broom can be made at any time of the year. Therefore, juniper broom is very popular among people who care about their health.

The benefits of fir broom

Fir contains substances that increase the body's resistance to various infections. Also, a fir broom removes toxins and poisons from the body. The presence of phytoncides has a wound-healing effect on the skin and stimulates the heart. Using a fir broom in a bath helps remove phlegm and cleanses the respiratory system. Fir also helps with headaches and helps prevent them.

A fir broom is useful for people who often suffer from spasms, pain in the joints, spine, and muscles. The presence of many antibacterial substances relieves cough, runny nose, and colds. A bath with a fir broom treats skin diseases.

If you have gout, be sure to use a fir broom. It improves blood circulation and improves joint function.

Thanks to a bathhouse with a fir broom, you can charge yourself with positive emotions. As a result, fatigue, stress, bad mood and various emotional experiences will go away.

The benefits of linden broom

In terms of its beneficial properties, linden broom is more effective than oak or birch. Linden leaves also improve sweat secretion, which causes rapid elimination of waste and toxins. Also, a linden broom has the following effect:

Antimicrobial;
Increased immunity;
Removing harmful substances from the body along with sweat;
Treatment and prevention of asthma, bronchitis;
Getting rid of salt stagnation in muscles and tissues;
Relief from headaches.

Do you want to get the most out of your bath? Then always take with you a natural broom, which will give your skin a pleasant feeling, cleanse your body of stagnation and toxins, and remove harmful toxins. And it will make the body younger, more energetic, healthier.

Source: https://venikibeniki.ru/polza-venikov-dlya-bani

Optimal procurement time

The quality of the finished broom depends on the correctness of its preparation and storage. Branches collected ahead of time are too soft and slippery, but those harvested on time are strong and last a long time.

Experienced bath attendants know when to prepare oak brooms for a bath: the custom of preparing them for Trinity has long existed.

Most often, this day falls in mid-June, when the leaves have already grown well and become stronger. It is good to follow folk customs, but when collecting oak branches, it is necessary that the leaves are ripe.

The optimal timing for cutting oak bath brooms just right is determined depending on the climatic features of the area and the weather specifics of the current year. Sometimes the readiness of leafy raw materials (juiciness and size) occurs only in July or even at the beginning of August.

If acorns have already appeared on the oak tree, then the best time has passed , the branches at this time are already too thick and have lost their flexibility. But it is useless to break them into brooms after early frosts.

Attention! The collection of oak branches in different areas is carried out at different times. Before harvesting, you need to check them for flexibility and pliability.

How to properly steam brooms of different types of wood

Brooms made from deciduous trees are popular among people, especially real Russian symbols - birch and oak. Coniferous bath accessories are often made from spruce, pine, cedar, fir and juniper branches.

It is also good to steam with herbal brooms made from nettle, mint and wormwood. They cleanse skin pores, rejuvenate it and add elasticity.

Birch broom

Why do most steam lovers go to the sauna with a birch broom?
It is very durable and flexible, and thanks to phytoncides, essential oils and flavonoids it:

Cleanses the skin of toxins;
Helps eliminate skin problems, including acne;
Normalizes the functioning of the lungs and bronchi;
Eliminates aches in joints and muscles;
Cleanses the body of toxins, which helps improve the functioning of internal organs.

To get the maximum benefit from using a birch broom (dry), you need to know the rules for preparing it for bath procedures.

Method No. 1:

Rinse the broom with running water to remove dust.
Place it in a bowl of cold water for 2 - 3 minutes. Then we transfer it to a container with warmer water, about 40°.
After 5 - 6 minutes, add boiling water, cover the bowl with a broom with a lid and wait for at least 10 minutes.
And the final chord is to hold the steamed bunch of branches over a hot heater for several seconds. We make sure that the leaves do not fall on the stones, otherwise they will start to burn and emit a specific smell.

Method number 2:

A bath accessory made from birch twigs can be prepared in advance. It needs to be placed in cold water for soaking, kept there for 10 hours. Then removed, wrapped in a damp piece of cloth and placed on the bottom shelf of the steam room.

Basic collection rules

To ensure that the quality is intended for its intended purpose, when preparing, you must follow the following rules for collecting bath brooms:

It is best to collect brooms after the dew has disappeared on a warm summer morning in dry weather.
If it rained before, it is better to wait a few days.
You can cut branches from trees growing far from roads. Trees no lower than three meters in height with branches half a meter long are suitable for this
A good sign of the ecological cleanliness of the chosen place is the proximity to succulent burdock trees.
You cannot cut branches from one tree, exposing it. It is preferable to combine raw materials of different ages, but not younger than two years.
It is best to choose trees growing in shady and elevated areas.
Only the side branches are collected and cut off with sharp pruning shears.

After cutting, the branches are folded in a shady place in one layer for an hour. They should be transported carefully. Do not stack them closely to prevent overheating and causing the leaves to fall off.

Interesting! For brooms, branches of both common and red oak are used.
Its leaves are wider, and its branches are more flexible and longer. And the Caucasian oak species has very strong leaves, which is very valuable for bathing purposes.

Two words about our oak

For many peoples throughout human history, oak was considered the personification of longevity, wisdom and strength. The Romans dubbed him “handsome,” and made wreaths made from this tree a reward and a badge of honor. The ancient Greeks and Slavs did not lag behind the Romans and revered it as a sacred tree. And in Germany, a leaf of this tree has long and firmly taken the place of one of the national symbols...

But oak is not only the name of a tree, it is also the name of a whole genus of trees from the beech family, which, according to the website of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the UK, contains almost six hundred species of this plant.

On the territory of Russia, only one of the species has become widespread - English oak , but in two variations: summer and winter. Although the difference between them is only in the flowering time: one blooms two to three weeks earlier than the other.

In addition, in the Far East and in certain areas of the Amur region, Mongolian oak is found, and even more rarely, jagged oak. Sessile oak lives on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, but all these species are not widespread. Therefore, today we will consider the benefits of the pedunculate or otherwise summer, ordinary, English oak, which is close to us.

How to dry properly

The tied brooms are placed under a weight for a day so that they become flat and convenient for use. And then they start drying them. The drying rules are:

The brooms are hung in pairs on a rope in a dark, cool room.
The drying area must be ventilated so as not to overdry the product, thereby depriving it of its beneficial properties.
Semi-finished products should not be exposed to sunlight.
To ensure even drying, the brooms need to be turned over daily.
The finished product has a pleasant green color and aroma.
If possible, it is better to dry the brooms in dry and clean hay , stacking them in layers in a stack. With this method, the color and natural smell of the product are better preserved.

Important! If the broom turns out to be too dry, there is no need to discard it. An accessory of poorer quality will have to be steamed longer than successful ones.

Features of steaming in the Russian tradition

It’s not so easy for a beginner to immediately figure out how to properly soak a bath broom. Although, it would seem, what’s so complicated about it – pour boiling water over it and worry about your health.

But the fact is that dry and fresh brooms are prepared in completely different ways for use in the steam room . During the preparation process, you may need water of different temperatures - from cold to very hot.

Bath attributes made from different tree species also have their own characteristics of steaming. Birch wood is processed in one way, and coniferous wood is processed in a completely different way. Otherwise, instead of a fragrant natural massager, you may end up with a bunch of shabby twigs that can hurt you. Also pay attention to how correctly the broom was assembled and prepared.

Experienced steam lovers know how to steam brooms for a bath - this, one might say, is sacred information for every steamer:

Fresh brooms are not steamed at all, so as not to spoil them. Green branches just need to be rinsed with running water or soaked in a basin and shake off excess moisture. And to strengthen the broom, they do this - by going into the steam room and staying there for some time, they stroke the body, already wet from sweat, with branches. This is how experts in bath procedures “temper” brooms;
Coniferous species are not suitable for people with delicate and overly sensitive skin. They can be used in another way - not for body massage, but for aroma. Just put it on the shelves and inhale the unique healing smell;
Eucalyptus varieties are beneficial for their abundance of essential oils and disinfectant properties. But a bunch of such branches is not very convenient for use in a steam room - they are thin, and the leaves on them are long and narrow. It’s better to use a little trick: build a combined bundle of oak and birch branches and add eucalyptus branches to them. This broom is convenient and combines the benefits of all trees.

How and where best to store

The finished brooms will dry well in a week, then they can be stored on racks in a room with good ventilation.

A dry dressing room or barn is suitable for this. You can also lay them on the floor, turning them over daily for ventilation.

An excellent storage location is a dry attic. It is best to place well-dried hay under the brooms.

City residents can keep bath accessories on a balcony , loggia, basement or in a frost-free garage. It should be cool, not damp, and it should be possible to ventilate them.

Brooms are placed in paper bags and cardboard boxes. The most modern methods of storing them are vacuum packaging or dry freezing.

If stored improperly, the products turn yellow, their appearance changes and their unsurpassed aroma disappears. If all the above rules are followed, the products are suitable for two years.

General recommendations on how to soak a broom correctly

PREPARATION IS IMPORTANT. Always wash and rinse the broom thoroughly before steaming to remove dust, remaining dirt, and prepare the stems and leaves for the further steaming process.
CONTROL. Steaming a broom is a process that requires your special attention. You must ensure that the leaves do not become limp and the stems do not become soggy.
DRY BROOM – STEAM, RAW – RINSE. Brooms made from fresh stems do not need to be steamed. It is enough to rinse them under running water, shake them and use them for their intended purpose.
DO NOT POOUR THE INFUSION FROM THE STEAMER. The water from the steamer can be used for practical purposes – it’s a healing and natural infusion! For example, for washing your hair or the whole body. Yes, yes, you shouldn’t be afraid that the water is cloudy, but there are so many benefits in it! In addition to the amazing aroma, you will get a feeling of freshness and “absorb” an additional portion of beneficial elements.
FOLLOW THE LEAVES. We steam brooms with brittle leaves in non-hot water and then warm them over stones, while dry ones can be soaked in cold water. When we turn the broom over the hot stones, we need to make sure that the leaves do not stick together. Your ideal broom should be voluminous and fluffy.

Basic errors during procurement

Inexperienced harvesters who do not know how to make a broom for a bath from oak make the following typical mistakes when collecting and preparing oak branches:

They are cut off either too early or too late. Raw materials prepared ahead of schedule are too brittle with small leaves. When harvested late, the branches are old, rough, and difficult to bend. The best time to cut brooms is mid-summer.
Drying the product in the sun. In this case, the process is completed too quickly, and as a result, the leaves lose their shape, color and smell. Proper drying should take place in a cool, ventilated and shaded place.
Harvesting in damp, rainy weather or immediately after the rain stops. Wet leaves do not dry well and may become moldy. When prepared correctly, they should be completely dry.

Important! If all rules for collecting, drying and storing raw materials are followed, the healing properties of oak and its unsurpassed aroma, intensified during the bath procedure, are preserved for at least 2 years

Errors and recommendations

When preparing oak brooms for a bathhouse, beginners often make mistakes:

collect branches in late spring, early summer or late autumn;
prepare raw materials after rain;
expose the branches to the sun so that they dry faster.

It is impossible to imagine a classic Russian bathhouse without the brooms that bathhouse attendants use to steam themselves. The most popular materials for their manufacture are oak and birch. The first option is less accessible, but more durable and useful.

How to steam it correctly so that the broom doesn’t fly around right away

Steaming a broom before going to the steam room is a mandatory procedure. Then he will more fully release his beneficial substances in the steam room. There are several methods for preparing a broom:

Keep in cool water for two dozen minutes, and then transfer to hot water for a couple of minutes. During this time, cover with a basin so that the broom softens well.
Place first in boiling water for a couple of minutes, and then on the bath stones, but make sure that it does not burn on one side; to do this, turn it evenly. And then repeat it all over again.
If the broom is too dry, then this procedure will need to be done longer than usual.
In the morning, soak it in hot water for ten minutes, then dip a rag in it and wring it out. Wrap the broom in fabric and put it in a plastic bag before the steam room. And in the bath, put it in a bucket of hot water for a few minutes.

A well-prepared bath attribute exudes a special aroma. After the steam room, the broom should be rinsed with warm water and then hung on a rope to dry .

Attention! There is no need to pour out the water remaining after steaming the broom.
If you moisten hot bath stones with it, the oak aroma in the steam room will intensify.

Choosing a bath broom

This information will be useful to regulars of country baths. I want to talk about brooms. After all, a broom is not only a kind of massager that increases blood circulation in the skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscles, and joints.

The leaves also release essential oils, which, when applied to the skin, improve metabolism and prevent premature aging. No wonder they say: “The day you sweat, the day you don’t grow old.”

But brooms are different, and each of them gives its own effect.

Banya broom

Raw materials for bath brooms
Preparation of brooms
Massage with a broom

Raw materials for bath brooms

Birch - helps with pain and aches in muscles and joints, cleanses the skin well from various rashes, accelerates the healing of wounds and abrasions, improves mood.

Also, in birch steam there is an active expansion of the bronchi, and after such a bath you can breathe especially easily.

Therefore, for asthmatics, former smokers, who have started doing breathing exercises, a birch broom is simply irreplaceable.

Oak broom is good for people with oily skin. It makes it matte and elastic, has an anti-inflammatory effect. The aroma of oak prevents an excessive increase in blood pressure in a person in the steam room. Oak steam also calms the nervous system after physical activity.

A linden broom helps get rid of headaches, performs gentle “gymnastics” for the kidneys, accelerates sweating, and has a calming, bronchodilator, and antipyretic effect. Particularly useful for colds.

Fir - used in winter in Siberia. And juniper is found in Central Asia.

The resinous substances secreted by coniferous branches stimulate metabolic processes deep in the muscles and even in the internal organs.

Such brooms are good for the so-called fragmentary massage: for pain in the spine, pneumonia, radiculitis. They also perfectly disinfect the air and prevent respiratory diseases and flu.

The pine broom should be steamed for 10 minutes in boiling water. As soon as it becomes soft, you can start steaming. It is useful to add one or two coniferous branches to a birch or oak broom. The infusion of such a broom can be used for watering stones and for washing.

Eucalyptus broom - most often used in the Caucasus. Eucalyptus leaves contain from 1 to 3 percent essential oil, which is associated with its medicinal properties.

It is especially good for a runny nose and sore throat. In the steam room, they press it to the face and breathe through their nose for 4-5 minutes. But it also has disadvantages: the branches of the eucalyptus broom are too thin and flexible, and the leaves are long.

They are difficult to “control” while quilting.

All these brooms are best used in the evening: they promote good sleep and restore strength.

But brooms made from rowan or containing tansy , on the contrary, excite. And if you want to be like a cucumber after the bath, such a broom will be just right, and it’s better to go to the bath with it during the day.

about the nettle broom that it should be used rarely, but accurately. If after physical activity you feel pain and aches in your joints, go to the bathhouse with a nettle broom - and the pain will immediately subside.

Not bad brooms made of maple, walnut, ash, elm . A broom made from young cherry shoots cut at the beginning of summer is very pleasant. This broom is soft and has a good cherry aroma. You can add bunches of medicinal or aromatic herbs to the brooms. During the season, it is, of course, better to use fresh brooms - these are the ones that contain a lot of essential oils and phytoncides.

Banya broom

Birch brooms

According to ancient custom, brooms are prepared on Trinity Day, which occurs on the 49th day after Easter. It usually falls in early to mid June. Brooms should be prepared on a dry day. Therefore, if the weather is rainy on Trinity Sunday, they do it a few days later. Brooms are broken in the first half of the day, after the dew has disappeared.

Weeping birch is best suited for a broom. As a rule, this is a tall tree. The branches of such a tree are very flexible and unbreakable. Young birch trees that have never bloomed are well suited; they are considered to have the most delicate leaves. The upper side of the leaf should not be rough, the leaf should be soft and velvety. And the branches are flexible, thin, long and straight.

At first, the branches are tied loosely. Hang on poles or a stretched rope under a canopy, so that there is no direct sunlight, where there is a good draft. After 6-7 days, when the brooms have dried well, they are tightly tied and placed tightly on racks in a dry dressing room, barn or other dry and well-ventilated room.

It is best when the brooms take the shape of a fan rather than a broom. To do this, fresh brooms are laid out on the floor and turned over every day until they are dry. The main thing is not to dry it out.

Research has shown that it is by observing all the age-old traditions of collecting medicinal plants (this also applies to birch brooms) that the active medicinal substances are preserved in the optimal quantity and quality in the material. If you tie a broom from fresh branches tightly, then in the center its leaves will lose color, darken, and such a broom will have almost no smell, since the leaves will “burn.”

Ready brooms after drying should have all the leaves a concentrated matte green color, and the broom itself should smell like balsamic birch oil. This smell intensifies sharply after steaming the broom.

Collecting brooms at the beginning of summer is completely justified, because the birch leaves have already become large, but they still have enough essential oil glands, which are abundant not only in the leaves, but also on the young shoots of the birch.

Large young shoots are very elastic, so it is pleasant to whip the body with such a broom in the steam room.

You need to knit a broom as follows. First, the branches are cleared of leaves and twigs in the place where the handle will be. Then the required number of branches is wrapped with twine, squeezing the branches with the left hand. Another important rule. When knitting brooms, place thicker branches inward, and around them - thinner ones - bending inward. The broom will be dense - it will be enough for several baths.

It is good to store brooms in a haystack. You can store harvested branches in winter in the form of one sheaf, tying them into a broom as needed. In both cases, the leaves are preserved better.

Oak brooms

Oak brooms are cut in June-August in damp, darkened forests. Drying and knitting a broom is the same as for a birch broom.

B. M. Kustodiev, Russian Venus (1925-1926)

Massage with a broom

If the broom is fresh, they are steamed with it immediately, without steaming, otherwise it will become limp.

A dry broom should first be immersed in cold water for 10-20 minutes, and then in hot water for 1-3 minutes.

A very dry broom needs to be steamed for longer - pour boiling water into a basin, lower the broom into it and cover it with another basin on top. Or dip it in a basin of hot water and place it on the stones in the oven for 1-3 seconds, rotating and shaking so that it does not burn. Repeat this procedure 2-3 times, and after 1-2 minutes the broom will be ready.

The optimal position in the steam room is lying down.

There are several “golden” rules that must be followed during the park:

The broom should be damp. It must be periodically moistened in warm water.
The bath attendant's movements should be soft, the broom should only lightly touch the body.
If the steam room is very hot (more than 60 degrees C), wave the broom more carefully. Steam can severely burn your skin.

Massage with a broom increases blood circulation in the skin and deeper tissues. Thanks to this, blood, lymph and interstitial fluid are redistributed throughout the body. Any broom releases phytoncides that kill pathogenic bacteria. Essential oils contained in leaves and branches, when applied to the skin, improve metabolism and prevent premature aging of the skin.

Source: https://www.botanichka.ru/article/banya/

How to steam: basic methods

It is best to visit the steam room together; one of those steaming should lie down, and the other should hold the broom with his hand in a mitten so as not to get burned . When using this attribute you need to remember:

It should be wet, for this it is good to place a bucket of warm water in the steam room.
You should not make sudden movements with the fan, so as not to injure the skin.
If the temperature in the steam room exceeds 60 degrees, then the steam from a high broom can cause burns.

The technology of the health procedure consists of the following stages:

Massage helps improve blood circulation and normalizes metabolism. First, the body is stroked from the feet to the head in one direction and the other several times: first from one side and then from the other.
Compress. The fan captures the steam and it falls onto the lumbar region for a couple of seconds. This procedure helps with injuries, muscle pain and sciatica.
Stretching. It is practiced for sacral pain. To do this, use two brooms. They are first placed on the lower back, and then one is moved to the back of the head, and the other to the legs. All these movements are repeated several times. They should be slow, the broom should not be lifted at all, and if a burning sensation occurs on the skin, it should be cooled in cool water.
Quilting. With quick and light movements, the end of the broom is rubbed over the back and rear parts of the body for a minute. Then they are quickly stroked. The same is done for twice as long when shifting onto your back.
Whiplash. With this procedure, greater steam capture occurs when the fan is raised high. Every 2-3 such movements are combined with a compress (stage No. 2).
Plowing. It is carried out by lightly touching the skin with a broom.
Shaking. This is a strong heating of the body, alternating with its cooling with the help of a fan, which is first lowered into cool water. First, raise the broom high, and then press it for a couple of seconds to different parts of the body.
Trituration. During this procedure, using the palm of your hand, pressing on the leaves, rub the body in different directions, and rub the legs and arms only lengthwise.

You need to sit down and stand up after a set of procedures slowly and carefully, for fear of dizziness.

Carefully! The steam room is contraindicated for people with various diseases. In each case, the duration, intensity and temperature of this bath procedure are individual. Before doing this, you must consult a doctor.

The benefits of juniper brooms

An ideal attribute for massage, helping to stimulate sexual desire, strengthen the nervous system, get rid of hangovers, and increase productivity. The branches of this tree are often combined with other plants.

In general, juniper products help with:

ailments of the respiratory systems;
inflammation, radiculitis,
cellulite,
swelling;
tuberculosis.

They improve the overall tone of the body and improve mood.

Good alternative

Bath brooms can be different:

A birch broom is considered the best. It is flexible, light and comfortable, useful for various pains, releases substances that calm the nervous system and purify the air in the steam room.
Maple broom has high medicinal properties , since the leaves are rich in alkaloids, vitamins and catechins. They help neutralize harmful substances and have tonic and analgesic properties.
Willow branches are the best remedy for osteochondrosis and relief of pain in the lumbar region.
Bird cherry broom has bactericidal properties and a subtle almond aroma.
Eucalyptus brooms are irreplaceable for colds, injuries and joint pain. This is also inhalation. They are often combined with oak or birch.
Coniferous brooms differ favorably from deciduous ones in that they are harvested year-round. They are contraindicated for people with sensitive skin. Resin or pine resin is useful for rheumatism, respiratory problems, and helps improve skin health. To get rid of pain, just lie on pine paws in the steam room. This is inhalation and massage at the same time.

Other types of bath brooms are also used, and mixed, universal versions are not uncommon.
Sprigs of medicinal herbs are also placed there. In any of these cases, a healing and hardening procedure is provided.

Also, don’t forget about the bamboo broom. This type is not a traditional bath accessory, but it is very good for massage procedures.

A Russian bathhouse with a traditional steam room and a massage with an oak broom - what could be better for your health! This is a remedy for blues and stress and an excellent hardening procedure. But not everyone can do it; there are a number of contraindications for a steam room.

Within reasonable limits, after consulting a specialist, almost everyone can afford bath manipulation with a healing broom.

Sushi Venik

Brooms are a key attribute of wellness in a bathhouse, an impeccable massage accessory and an effective tool for combating stress, joint pain and colds.

Depending on the type of plants used, brooms have completely different healing properties. In Rus', for these purposes, they were by no means limited to only oak or birch branches.

No less popular were brooms made of linden, fir, and juniper, the unique effects of which will be discussed in more detail later.

What are the benefits of birch broom

Thin and narrow birch leaves, when heated, release fresh and lung-friendly air into the air. And fetoncides, which have a disinfecting effect, in turn help cleanse the surrounding area of bacteria. Birch brooms help with:

skin rashes (including acne), purulent processes, acne, restoring the skin a soft and smooth appearance;
dandruff in hair;
joint pain;
long-term asthma, as well as debilitating respiratory diseases, promoting the discharge of sputum.

Read how to properly steam a bath broom.

Birch bath brooms are reliable helpers in removing toxins; they have a beneficial effect on the diuretic system. Due to the structure of birch branches, they are ideal for massage treatments.

The benefits of oak brooms

Due to the presence of tannins, such brooms effectively strengthen the skin, and their pleasant aroma from the moment of its appearance immediately creates a positive atmosphere in the steam room. Unlike its birch relative, this broom reduces sweating, which makes it a suitable health attribute for people with oily skin.

These brooms are used for:

wounds, ulcers, skin rashes;
inflammatory processes.

Oak leaves contain flavonoids, which normalize the functioning of the vascular and nervous systems. Often, to achieve a better effect, oak branches are combined with linden branches.

Fir brooms - beneficial properties

Appearing in a steam room, such a broom immediately creates an atmosphere suitable for relaxation - it normalizes the state of the nervous system, helps to find inner harmony, and get rid of worries and stress. Fir brooms increase sweating and increase blood flow not only to the muscles, but also to the internal organs.

When and how to prepare brooms for a bath?

Among the benefits of this plant:

excellent disinfectant properties;
thorough cleansing of the skin from painful microbes, which is why they are useful for skin diseases;
strengthening the immune system;
effective fight against back pain, radiculitis.

Fir brooms are indispensable when fighting the flu. Flexible and durable branches of this tree produce an amazing massage effect.

The benefits of linden brooms

In terms of their healing properties, such massage attributes are many times superior to their oak and birch counterparts. By increasing sweating, they help quickly and effectively rid the body of toxins.

Among the main advantages:

Being an antimicrobial agent, such brooms accelerate the healing process of wounds;
the vapors released by medicinal linden leaves have a beneficial effect on asthmatics;
effectively disperse salts accumulated in the muscles;
are a powerful remedy against headaches;
improve well-being in people with vegetative-vascular dystonia;
strengthen the immune system.

Steaming with linden brooms helps get rid of most of the unpleasant symptoms of colds and ARVI. You can find the price here.

What are the benefits of maple broom

The leaves of this tree are known as an excellent antiseptic that helps disinfect rooms. They contain a number of useful substances: aldehydes, organic acids, vitamins C and E.

Using maple brooms will help you:

eliminate long-term non-healing wounds and skin ulcers;
cleanse and tighten pores;
get rid of asthenia and the consequences of viral infections;
cleanse the body of toxins.

Currently, flexible and whippy maple branches are used as an additive to birch and oak brooms for soaring.

The benefits of juniper brooms

In general, juniper products help with:

ailments of the respiratory systems;
inflammation, radiculitis,
cellulite,
swelling;
tuberculosis.

They improve the overall tone of the body and improve mood.

Eucalyptus brooms

Known for their rich, refreshing aroma, they have antimicrobial and disinfecting properties. Eucalyptus brooms are indispensable for:

neuralgia;
radiculitis;
muscle sprains and bruises;
myositis;
joint pain.

Often used in eucalyptus therapy, when steamed brooms are pressed to the face and the released aromas are inhaled through the nose. This method can be used to cure acute cough, runny nose, and bronchial diseases.

What are the benefits of bamboo brooms?

Thin bamboo branches relieve fatigue in the body and help normalize blood circulation. Such attributes will help remove stagnant salts from the body and restore a pleasant appearance to the skin. Bamboo brooms are recommended to be used for overwork, cellulite and excess weight, as well as for the prevention of varicose veins.

In general, these products:

increase skin tone;
strengthen the walls of blood vessels;
increase capillary blood flow;
relieve swelling in the legs;
remove toxins;
fight stress.

Since bamboo sticks are durable and at the same time very flexible in structure, they are convenient for massaging the feet, which helps improve the functioning of all internal organs. About other useful properties here.

Source: https://www.sushivenik.ru/blog/chem-polezny-bannye-veniki

How to prepare a broom?

Its service life depends on what time of year and how to prepare an oak broom. This is usually done in July or August. You can cut brooms in the fall, but their wood is more fragile and brittle during this period. It is advisable to collect branches in a damp, darkened forest rather than from isolated trees. Oak has practically no single branches. Therefore, you need to choose a strong, wide branch with branches and good leaf cover.

Be prepared to climb a tree. Good, suitable elements can rarely be cut off, choosing them at the level of your height. As a rule, you have to cut down entire branches, which are then, when directly knitting brooms, disassembled into smaller ones. In order not to cause great harm to the oak, try to use only the side shoots, leaving the central tree intact.

The broom is also knitted according to certain unspoken rules. Small elements are placed side by side with some offset, like a fan. This arrangement is considered optimal for the oak version due to the wide and dense leaves. In this case, it is advisable to use a small number of branches, otherwise the product will turn out to be too heavy. It is also worth considering that when steaming, the broom will absorb moisture and become even heavier. Oak variations are dried in the same way as all others: in a dry, ventilated, dark place, without allowing them to dry out.

How to steam with a broom?

To obtain greater benefits and pleasure from the bath procedure, you should follow certain tips:

You should not go to the bathhouse earlier than 2 hours after a heavy lunch.
You should not drink alcoholic beverages before visiting the steam room.
All metal jewelry must be removed
There is no need to rush in the steam room, let your body rest, warm up, and relax
It’s more comfortable to steam together
Before vaping, it is advisable to rinse with clean water and dry with a towel.
In the steam room it is recommended to breathe with an open mouth
It is useful to quench your thirst after a bath with strong tea, kvass, lemonade, juice

There is a slight difference between oak and other brooms. The light birch version, for example, heats up, gives off heat when touching the body, and warm steam overtakes in a whirlwind a little later. In the case of oak, the steam “falls” on the body up to the broom. Wide leaves allow it to be pumped quickly, which is good for lovers of hot bath procedures. In other words, an oak broom is good for hardy people.

Steaming an oak broom: the correct methods for preparing a bath weapon

An integral attribute of any bath procedure is the steaming of a broom - a unique symbol of the Russian bath. The effects of steam, hot water and essential oils contained in the leaves have a beneficial effect on human health, not to mention the fact that it also performs a massage function. You can make a broom yourself or buy it in a store. But sometimes people have a question about which product to choose. Birch, oak, juniper, eucalyptus, alder, fir... The shelves of specialized stores today can offer a great variety of them. Each of them, of course, has its own advantages and a certain effect on human skin during the bath procedure.