DIY bath broom

Let’s first figure out what bath brooms are made of, what they are, in order to know which trees to go to for branches in the first place:

• Birch. A very popular type of bath brooms. Birches grow in our country everywhere, it will not be difficult to find a tree. Birch leaves contain a lot of vitamins C and A, essential oils, and the broom is fragrant. The leaves literally stick to the body, a birch broom helps to cope with stretch marks, gives the skin elasticity, improves blood circulation, helps with bronchial asthma and chronic cough.
• Oak. Such brooms are in second place in popularity, they are more durable and last long enough. Oak brooms are useful for high blood pressure and heart disease, improve skin condition, and help cope with nervous irritability..
• Linden. Very fragrant, such brooms soothe, relieve headaches, excellent diaphoretic.
• Conifers. For thrill-seekers. The pine scent is very useful for pulmonary diseases, colds, soothes and relaxes.
• Nettles. Nettle brooms strengthen blood vessels, are useful for radiculitis, arthritis, kidney and liver diseases.

Of course, these are not all types of bath brooms. There are, for example, eucalyptus trees, which are very useful for colds, as well as juniper, ash, alder, mountain ash, maple, bird cherry … But you can hardly find eucalyptus in our forest, and there may be problems with juniper. And other types of bath brooms are not so popular and widespread. Therefore, we will focus on the above options, as the most easily available for self-production.

It is not enough to know what material is needed for a bath broom, you need to figure out when it is best to collect it. For example, spruce brooms can be made at any time of the year, the main thing is to choose young, flexible branches with softer needles. Nettle should be harvested on brooms while it is young, choosing shoots up to 50 centimeters high. Linden branches are torn into brooms during the flowering of the tree, so the aroma will be much stronger.

Oak branches are harvested from late June to September, choosing smooth, green foliage, without spots. There should be no acorns on the oak. It is advisable to choose young oaks. Birch branches are harvested when the leaves are already green, young, but fully grown, and the catkins have not yet blossomed.

It is very important to choose healthy branches, free from signs of diseases on the leaves, and free from insects. Experts believe that it is best to go for branches or nettles for bath brooms after rain.

And don’t forget to bring your pruning shears, garden shears! Do not break branches with your hands, this will damage the tree more..

It is better to choose branches not just straight, like twigs, but with branches, so the bath broom will turn out to be especially fluffy. The collected branches or shoots of nettles are folded evenly, neatly, it is advisable to trim the ends. The optimal length is 70–80 centimeters. Thick branches should be placed on the inside and thin branches on the outside, along the outer edge of the broom. The foliage from the bottom must be removed to make a comfortable handle.

As for the thickness of the bath broom, the main thing is that it is comfortable for you to hold it in your hand. You cannot tie a broom with a wire! You will use it in the steam room, the metal will heat up. It is better to take a string to tie the broom, you can even use an ordinary medical bandage, cords – any similar materials that will hold the branches together and at the same time do not heat up in the steam room.

By the way, it is advisable to dip coniferous and nettle brooms in boiling water after the bundle. Nettle will get rid of the stinginess, and the needles will become softer.

An important point is drying the bath broom. This process should happen naturally. The brooms are hung, not too closely, at a short distance from each other for greater ventilation, at a height of about two meters. A place for drying bath brooms should be chosen with a natural draft, well-ventilated, dry. Do not allow direct sunlight to fall on the drying brooms. Attics, barns, dressing rooms, any utility rooms that meet the specified conditions will do.

The secret of the shape of a broom is simple – if you immediately hang it to dry, it will remain fluffy, rounded, because nothing squeezes the branches. If you put the broom on a flat surface immediately after knitting, press it down with something not too heavy, or just fold the brooms on top of each other, then turn it over several times, they will become flat, in the form of a broom. Therefore, choose for yourself which shape is more convenient for you to use a broom. In general, flat brooms are simply more convenient to move steam and pour it over steaming.

When preparing a bathhouse for the summer season, be sure to stock up on brooms. Indeed, without them, the bath procedure will not be at all so exciting and useful.!