Without a high-quality, fragrant and biting broom, a real Russian bath is unthinkable. A good broom, prepared according to all the rules, not only allows you to steam perfectly, but also has an extensive healing effect on the body, and different species of trees and shrubs have various useful properties.
The birch broom is considered one of the best, as it is convenient and durable. Birch leaves and buds contain essential oil, vitamins (C, A), tannins, and therefore perfectly help with rheumatism, edema and various skin diseases. Such a broom cleanses and softens the skin well, removes pain and aches in joints and muscles.
Oak branches perfectly pump steam and have an anti-inflammatory effect. Oak broom is perfect for people with oily skin and a variety of skin lesions - eczema, rash, etc.
Unique healing properties have a broom from eucalyptus. It is so revered by many bath lovers for its antiseptic and analgesic properties. Such a product has an inhalation effect: aromatic vapor cleans and heals the airways, bronchi, trachea, and throat. Also, brooms from juniper, nettle, linden, maple, mountain ash, nettle, and wormwood have a whole storehouse of useful substances.
A broom for a bath can be purchased at a store or from sellers next to public baths, but the best option is to independently prepare this important “pair” attribute. In this article we will look at how to knit brooms for a bath, as well as how to harvest, dry and store them. In fact, this is a very simple procedure.
How to knit brooms for a bath: collecting material (branches of bushes and trees, medicinal herbs)
Brooms are made from branches of trees and shrubs: birch, oak, linden, ash, mountain ash, maple, juniper, walnut, etc. Often, various herbs are added to them that have a healing effect - mint, wormwood, yarrow, tansy. When to collect bath brooms? According to Russian tradition, they begin to be broken on Trinity Day (on the 49th day after Easter), as a rule, this is the beginning or the middle of June. Although the collection of material is possible in all summer months. Birch is cut until mid-June. Cherries and currants are harvested in early summer; linden, alder and mountain ash - in July. Oak and eucalyptus branches are cut a little later, in August. Material from conifers can be procured at any time, but according to popular belief, it is better to do this in the phase of the growing moon. Coniferous brooms are not stored, but are immediately used because of their strong crumbling. For a campaign for material choose not a cloudy or rainy day. When collecting it is necessary to choose flexible, strong, straight branches, without thorns, with young and strong leaves. The lateral branches are cut off, at the base of the trunk, they should be about 50 cm long. So, when cutting the brooms for the bath, we found out, now we will consider what preparatory operations with the blanks need to be done after collection.
We tighten the blanks and knit a broom
Before
knitting a product, it is necessary to slightly tear down the cut branches. Do this as follows: on a well-ventilated balcony prepare a place, that is, lay burlap or matting. Then, blanks are laid on it along a circle with leaves inward. An awning is pulled over them and left for two days. After this, the blanks become completely ready for the formation of a good broom.
So, we will consider how to knit brooms for a bath. After drying, the workpieces are sorted by thickness and length. As a rule, a broom is made from 40 to 75 cm long. Branches for it are selected of the same length and density. Forming a broom, thicker branches are laid inside, they will serve as the basis of the product. Around them, thinner branches are laid inward by a bend. The product is given a somewhat flattened shape. Further, the workpieces from below, where the handle will be, are cleaned of unnecessary twigs, leaves and knots.
The handle is tightly tied at two points near the fan, after which one loop moves to the end of the handle. Finally, the handle is tightly wrapped in a long stretch of twine. For knitting a broom, it is advisable to choose a not very thick cotton thread. Do not fix the product with metal tape or wire. So, we examined how to knit brooms for a bath. Following our advice, you can make a durable and dense broom.