The Russian bathhouse is loved and respected by the people. It’s not for nothing that they say about her: “The bathhouse is the second mother: she will steam the bones and straighten the body.” Because a bathhouse is not just a “washing room”; it is customary to take a steam bath in it, to drive away illnesses and blues. It’s rare that a country house can do without a traditional Russian bathhouse. They build it and equip it with special love and care. They think through down to the smallest detail heating, water and steam supply, design and finishing of all rooms. But an important place in the equipment of a bathhouse is occupied by bath accessories. This article is about what bath utensils every self-respecting bathhouse owner should have.
When you think of bath accessories, the first thing that comes to mind is a broom. So what is it like, and how to choose it correctly?
Broom
Of course, a broom is the main attribute in a bathhouse. There is even a saying: A bath broom is older than the Tsar, if the Tsar takes a steam bath!
A broom is, by and large, a special medical instrument. Because it is capable of providing a powerful massage effect, improving blood circulation, increasing blood flow, and saturating the air with aromas. As a result, metabolism accelerates. And in the complex there is a healing and rejuvenating effect.
What are bath brooms made from?
Bath accessories: brooms made from deciduous tree branches
Brooms for the steam room are prepared from branches of deciduous trees: birch, linden, oak, rowan.
Birch broom
Traditional healers consider a broom made from flexible birch branches with elastic leaves to be the best. Because thanks to the aromas inhaled with steam and superficial massage, birch cleanses the skin pores. Broom leaves, when massaged, remove sweat and toxins from the skin. But it is known that the healing of the body begins with its cleansing.
The preparation of branches is usually done 10-15 days after the Trinity Day. At this time, the plant buds contain the maximum amount of flavonoids, resins, and essential oils. Young, recently blossoming leaves are rich in ascorbic and betulorethic acids, phytoncides and saponins. It is these substances that have a healing effect.
Oak broom
An oak broom is a classic bath attribute, especially recommended for oily skin. Because, thanks to the tannins, quercetin, and essential oils contained in the leaves, it helps cleanse the skin, restore its elasticity, and relieve inflammation. The esters released when the broom is steamed have a hypertensive effect.
Young elastic branches with young, medium-sized bright green leaves are prepared for the broom. It is better to take the lower branches, which receive the least amount of sunlight.
Brooms from other hardwoods
Linden brooms are prepared for the steam room. The aroma of linden has a calming effect, banishes insomnia and depression. The feeling of anxiety is relieved and the airways are cleared.
Eucalyptus brooms are less common, because the tree is southern. Eucalyptus leaves contain more than three percent essential oils, which, when inhaled, have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system and respiratory system. A properly prepared eucalyptus broom should have bright green leaves.
True experts add several stems of fragrant medicinal herbs to their bath brooms: wormwood, sage, chamomile, oregano, mint.
Coniferous brooms
Bath lovers highly value soft and fragrant fir brooms. Juniper trees are harsh and quite prickly, so only particularly persistent vapers use them.
You can find bamboo whisks in stores. Which can be used for light massage. But, to be honest, it is inferior to a traditional broom: there is no aroma.
The most necessary accessories for a bath
Since we mentioned the basic minimum, let's make a list of accessories that no bath or sauna can do without.
Gang
Essentially, this is a medium-sized wooden basin. Gangs are used for washing and steaming brooms. The volume ranges from 5 to 60 liters, so each family member can choose a gang that is suitable in size. Yes, it is desirable that each regular visitor to the bathhouse has his own personal gang . In public saunas, the required number of saunas will depend on the capacity of the room. If you don’t want to bother with caring for cooper’s products, you can replace them with a regular plastic basin or a metal basin with wooden handles.
Buckets
It is better to purchase at least two of them - for the washing department and for the steam room. The first one should have a volume of at least a liter to make it more convenient to collect water into the basins. A small ladle with a volume of 0.3–0.5 liters, on a long handle, is suitable for the steam room. With its help, it will be convenient to splash water or herbal infusions on the heater without the risk of pouring too much.
In general, the number of ladles depends both on your preferences and on the design of your bathhouse. For example, if you use an open container located in the washing compartment to heat water, it is better to purchase a separate hot water ladle with a long wooden handle. Fans of pouring should buy an additional 1.5–2 liter ladle for this purpose.
It is wise to use plastic ladles in a bathhouse only when collecting cold water. For other purposes, wooden buckets are suitable, preferably carved from a single piece or metal, but with a wooden handle. In commercial saunas, plastic is not at all appropriate, only wood.
Buckets
In many public saunas you can find special douses - containers with cold water attached to the wall and equipped with a special rotating mechanism. But in private homes they still prefer to shower after a steam room from an ordinary bucket. In addition, buckets in the bathhouse are useful when you need to bring cold water or steam a broom.
On sale there are buckets for baths with a volume of 5 to 20 liters. Since they are rarely used in hot rooms, there are no special restrictions on materials. You can buy a beautiful wooden bucket with a hemp rope handle, or a regular galvanized one. The main thing is that it is convenient for your purposes.
Cold water tank
If you do not plan to have running water in your bathhouse, you cannot do without a vat for cold water. It’s good if it’s made of cedar wood - it softens the water and disinfects it . In addition, a wooden vat will fit well into the interior. But the container can be either metal or plastic - due to the cold water inside it will not heat up much.
When choosing a metal vat, you should take care to protect it from rust. Otherwise, the quality of cold water in your sauna will soon noticeably decrease. As for the dimensions, it is worth proceeding from the size of the room and the ease of use of the vat for all household members.
Brooms
A broom is the main difference between a Russian steam room and a dry Finnish sauna. Even if you don’t plan to steam, it’s still worth buying this necessary accessory, at least for guests. In bath accessories stores you can find bath brooms made from a variety of materials.
- Birch is a traditional Russian broom for a pleasant “bath massage”.
- Oak - for lovers of intense heat.
- Fir - for aromatic steam.
- Juniper - as a prevention of colds and joint diseases.
- Wormwood – to relieve stress.
- Bamboo – for healthy skin and blood vessels.
This is the minimum set of accessories for any bath and sauna. You can supplement it yourself, as you wish. Floor drains, shelf rugs, thermometers, fragrances, and, of course, bath textiles - all this will help you make your bathhouse beautiful and comfortable.
Gangs and tubs
You can’t do a bathhouse without gangs, tubs, buckets and basins. The best material for bath utensils is wood. As a rule, they are made from oak or larch wood. Because this wood can withstand high humidity and heating to high temperatures well.
So what bath utensils are absolutely necessary?
Steamer
A steamer is a small container with a lid that has a hole for a broom handle. A bath broom is steaming in the steamer.
Gang for a bath
Bathhouses are most often made of cedar, pine or linden. Because their wood has a healing effect on humans. These are low but wide containers. Shakes are designed to rinse the body, usually with warm water.
Buckets
Buckets are intended for dousing with cold water after a steam room. Waterfalls are often made from buckets; this is a tipping system using a rope.
Tubs
These are wooden containers smaller than a bucket or bucket. As a rule, they have two short handles on the sides. Herbal infusions are steamed in tubs and aromatic oils are diluted.
What are gangs made of?
Different materials are used for its manufacture:
- Wood;
- Metal.
Linden and oak are used as wooden blanks. Linden products are light, comfortable, practical, and oak shafts are durable. They serve for many years in a row and become more durable every year.
Metal balls are made mainly from copper. To avoid getting burned, it is equipped with a long wooden handle. Despite the fact that metal bowls are also used for bathing purposes, real pleasure can only be obtained with utensils made from wood.
In addition, some people purchase utensils made of plastic. Of course, such products are lighter than wooden and metal ones. They are easy to store, just clean, but the plastic, even heat-resistant and non-deformable when exposed to high temperatures, still heats up. A burn when touched with such an object will not occur, but the unpleasant sensations will remain.
Bath accessories: personal hygiene items
In a steam room, it is important to observe the rules of personal hygiene; the necessary attributes for this are rugs and ladders.
Steam room rugs are laid out on heated benches or shelves to protect against burns. They are made from felt or sheep's wool. Such rugs are individual bath accessories.
Sauna ladders are wooden gratings made from linden or alder planks. First of all, they save your feet from sliding on the floor and injuries, as well as from burns or overheating.
Bath caps
Bath caps are an essential bath accessory. Because the hat protects the head from overheating. The material for their manufacture can be wool, linen, cotton, felt or felt. Hats made of these materials “breathe” and provide good protection for the head. It is worth having several hats so that everyone visiting the steam room can protect their heads. After bath procedures, hats must be washed, dried and disinfected with an iron or steam boost.
What is a tub made of?
Previously, a tub was made from a tree trunk, hollowing out a container inside. That is, the inside of the trunk was removed, leaving only the bottom and slots (ears) for threading the rope. It was very labor-intensive and long work.
Over time, people learned the art of cooperage. Products began to be created from special rivets, which were very durable. This skill is not easy to learn - there are a lot of secrets that are passed down from generation to generation.
Knowing how to properly take a steam bath is a real art. It is not surprising that such accessories as a steamer, a ladle, a bucket and a tub are a kind of symbol of a bathing event. They are like the soul and talisman of this place.
Therefore, it is believed that bath accessories are very suitable as a gift to your loved ones. After all, for example, a tub is a product made from pine, aspen, oak (it is even made from bamboo). And all the beneficial substances that wood contains have a healing effect on the person using it: soothing, anti-inflammatory and wound healing.
Bath accessories: nice little things
Aromatic oils, scrubs, nourishing masks, herbal infusions are not a necessary attribute of a bath. But they make your stay even more enjoyable, creating a special atmosphere and comfort. As well as all kinds of interior accessories: signs and signs.
A bathhouse equipped with the necessary utensils will bring indescribable pleasure and drive away illnesses. Because it’s not for nothing that people say: “The bathhouse soars, the bathhouse rules, the bathhouse will fix everything.”
Material
Basically, such products are made from linden, since it is one of the best for bath utensils, since the product is easy to use and lightweight. In general, linden has long been considered an excellent material for all bath products , since it is capable of exuding an incredible aroma, which contains phytoncides that kill and disinfect microbial substances that are beneficial to human health. There are no tannins in linden wood, which makes the water in such a container easy to lather.
Recently they have begun to create gangs of oak , and although in some respects they are worse than linden ones, they have a long service life. It should also be said that tannins can make the quality of herbal tinctures worse. The advantages of soft and porous linden also include lower thermal conductivity compared to oak, so the pile itself will heat up less.
Products made from natural wood are comfortable and beautiful, and most importantly, they are environmentally friendly. Well made, high quality gangs can have a very stylish look.
