How to store brooms for a bath in winter ~ Tips for gardeners and gardeners

Types of bath brooms

Brooms can be made from young branches of birch, oak, maple, willow, and linden. There are bath brooms made from nettle, juniper, spruce, rowan and other plants and trees. Most of the brooms on this list should be prepared in the summer after Trinity, when the leaves are green and full of vitamins and healing oils. If you store them correctly, you can provide yourself with a bath tool for the entire fall, winter and spring - just until the next season.

Oak brooms will be more fragrant if you put herbs (wormwood, mint, nettle) and eucalyptus sprigs inside them.

When preparing rods for a broom, try to treat the wood with care. Remember that it can serve you for many years. Do not touch too young trees, do not destroy them for the sake of a few branches. Some harvesters specifically plant oak and birch seedlings every year to replenish nature’s storehouse.

Seasonality of business

It should be noted right away that preparing bath brooms as a business is a very short-term activity. There is no specific time for harvesting throughout the country; the difference in climate zones is too great. However, there are several conditions by which you can determine that it is time to start harvesting.

Young, strong, medium-sized foliage without damage or growths is best suited for brooms.
The harvesting time for birch, oak, linden, and other types of brooms varies. They are not done at the same time.
The production of bath brooms occurs before the trees bloom.

However, there is still one rule for the entire country when preparing brooms. Even if you “missed” the moment when there were young leaves on the trees, remember that according to popular belief, brooms for a bath can be prepared until July 12 - Peter’s Day.

In central Russia and the Urals, the period for harvesting brooms and its duration is approximately two weeks, starting in mid-June.

According to popular belief, the preparation of brooms for the bathhouse begins after the Orthodox holiday - Trinity Day.

Preparation for drying

The process of making a broom can be divided into several stages:

the branches are cut;
sort and collect together;
tied tightly in several places;
form a handle.

The ability to skillfully knit brooms is acquired with experience. Branches for them must be taken from the middle of the tree. There they are quite flexible and rich in nutrients. You can buy ready-made brooms at the market, learning how to choose them correctly.

The height of the finished product can be from 30 to 60 cm. Everyone chooses the density as desired. Some people like fluffy little brooms, while others like big, loose bundles. Be sure to take care of the handle. It should be free of knots, properly rounded, neither thin nor thick, so that it is comfortable to hold on to in the bathhouse.

Drying and storage

The branches collected together and compacted must be dried properly. They are dried by tying them in pairs and hanging them in a well-ventilated dark place where they cannot fade from the sun and where mold will not grow among the leaves. What kind of place it will be, choose for yourself.

Experienced harvesters hang bundles in attics, sheds, hay barns, spacious dry storage rooms, and in the corridors of bathhouses. There should be a distance of 15–20 centimeters between them for free air circulation. The main thing is to prevent the leaves from drying out and falling apart. It is necessary to preserve the aroma and nutrients in each branch.

It is not recommended to store brooms under the roof if it is too hot there. Sometimes the thermal insulation of roofs leaves much to be desired and the temperature in the attic rises above 40 °C due to the heated roofing material. Drying and storage cannot be done under such conditions, because the leaves will dry out and fall off. Here are a few more storage rules.

You can wrap the brooms in paper so that less aroma escapes from them. At the same time, the paper will protect them from dust and allow air to pass through.
Do not place birch and oak branches on tightly folded boards, as this may be prohibited.
It is better to hang recently made bundles that have not yet dried rather than lay them out flat.
Dry branches are highly flammable, so keep them away from stove pipes and heating systems.
The best place to store brooms is dry, cool and shaded.

Juniper and spruce brooms cannot be dried. If you want to store them for a long time, then put them in the freezer.

Procurement of materials and production of brooms

Types of the most popular bath accessories

Before making a bath broom, you need to prepare production materials. These materials are branches of trees of various species. There are several practical recommendations, following which you can prepare the best material and make a broom of the required quality.

Features of preparing brooms

First of all, it is best to harvest branches from trees growing far from roads, industrial enterprises and populated areas.
The harvesting of material is carried out at higher elevations, since experts consider the use of branches broken in the lowlands to be inappropriate.
It is best to cut branches from young trees, as the younger the wood, the more flexible it is.
It is advisable to start collecting materials at the beginning (birch) and in the middle (oak) of summer and certainly in dry, sunny weather.
The branches must be fresh and always have green leaves.
You can preserve a broom in its original form for a long time without compromising its consumer properties in the freezer. A more traditional storage method is to hang it in a shady and well-ventilated area.

Storage in the apartment

Residents of apartment buildings are better off buying ready-made brooms shortly before going to the bathhouse. But if you decide to make a broom with your own hands, then set aside a place for it on the balcony in a specially prepared cabinet. It must be dry, dark, and air must circulate. Owners of personal garages can store bath accessories in them.

Two or three small brooms can be placed in the freezer, wrapped in cling film or wrapped in a bag. This method allows you to preserve the color and smell of the branches. After defrosting, the leaves look fresh.

Before using in the steam room, the broom must be steamed. Birch and linden are poured with hot water; oak and juniper brooms can be poured with mild boiling water. Leave them for 30–60 minutes to soak. Linden branches can be left for only 10 minutes, as they become slippery after getting wet.

It’s even better to first soak the broom in cold water for a couple of hours, and then just water it with hot water. In this case, the aroma will be more intense. A good-quality oak and juniper broom can be used several times if you do not share it with anyone. Rinse it and dry it by hanging it on a nail. Linden and grass brooms quickly crumble, they are enough for only one, maximum two, baths.

Coniferous brooms for everyone

Not everyone likes bath brooms made from coniferous trees; they are prickly and rough. But they also have fans who wouldn’t trade a juniper broom for 5 oak brooms. For such lovers, taking a steam bath with a spruce broom is a kind of extreme sport. But there are some peculiarities in preparing such brooms:

1. The main feature is that it must be prepared immediately before going to the steam room. There is no point in breaking the branches of evergreen conifers in advance. 2. It is better to wrap the handle of a pine broom in several layers of cloth, because under the influence of heat, resin begins to be released, and very abundantly. 3. 20 minutes before using the broom, it should be soaked in hot water so that the needles soften and the massage does not injure the skin too much. And the aroma of pine needles will fill the steam room. 4. You need to be very careful with juniper broom, it is very prickly, there is a risk of seriously injuring the skin. Usually they are passed over the body lightly, barely touching. Its strength lies in the medicinal properties of juniper - it relieves depression as if by hand, even those who have suffered from insomnia for a long time, after steaming with a juniper broom, sleep like babies.

How to store birch brooms for a long time

Many people, especially those who like to spend time in the sauna or have their own sauna, do not know how to store birch brooms so that they can serve for a long time and retain their properties over a long period of time. First of all, it is necessary to note that the brooms must initially be dried. Proper drying is essentially the first stage of proper storage of a birch bath broom.

It is necessary to dry the brooms under a canopy; to do this, you need to stretch a strong rope and attach the brooms to it. There should be some distance between them, through which a flow of fresh air can easily circulate. If there is not enough space, then the brooms will need to be turned over periodically, otherwise moisture will remain in the places where they come into contact with each other. After they are completely dry, they should be stacked tightly one on top of the other. This will give them a certain shape that will visually resemble a fan.

Recommendations for choosing a location

To preserve the product for a long period of time, it is recommended to choose the right place for it. There are several options that are available to every person.

Attic

The attic is a good choice for storing a large number of such products. In such a room it will be possible to store brooms for the winter. However, this is only relevant if the roof is covered with a material with low thermal conductivity.

When exposed to sunlight, it can heat up to high temperatures. As a result, the leaves can dry out quickly.

Barn

Often the only available place to store such products is a shed. It is recommended to follow some recommendations. It is important that there are no chemicals in the room. Any caustic volatile elements are prohibited. They are strongly absorbed into the leaves. As a result, the products lose their beneficial properties. At the same time, they can emit odors of paint, gasoline, oil and other toxic substances in the steam room.

Garage

You can also choose a garage to store the product. It should be borne in mind that it should not interfere with regular business affairs. It is not recommended to constantly disturb or touch the brooms, as this will damage the leaves. Instead of a luxurious accessory, you get an ordinary broom.

Storing a birch broom

After the brooms have been dried and laid one on one, they must be placed in dry plastic bags, securely closed and placed in a dark place. Moreover, the place in which they will be stored must have a cool air temperature. It is better to release as much air as possible from the bag. This is necessary to prevent water vapor in the air from condensing during a possible temperature change.

You can also use cardboard boxes instead of bags, as well as boxes made of plywood or natural wood. They will be even more preferable to bags, since the brooms will “breathe” in them. Boxes with brooms can be placed on the balcony, in the pantry or on the loggia. The main thing is that they should not be exposed to sunlight, which will cause your brooms to dry out quickly. Now you know how to store birch brooms, but these are only the simplest ways to store them. We'll talk about more clever ways to store them below.

What equipment is needed to produce brooms?

No expensive devices or special devices are needed. You only need three things:

convenient ax;
sharpened knife;
strong thin rope, cord or twine.

The first two items are found in every rural house. And the consumables that you will need to tie the brooms can be purchased in online stores at wholesale prices.

Using salt for storing birch brooms

If you want your birch bath brooms to be stored for a long time, and at the same time remain green and fragrant, with a characteristic pleasant smell, then you can sprinkle them with a small amount of ordinary kitchen salt.

Salt will help preserve not only the color and aroma, but will also ensure that birch brooms remain soft and flexible even for two years.

But it is worth saying that such long-term storage using salt does not occur at room temperature, but in the freezer. And if you intend to remove such a broom from the freezer, then this must be done approximately one or two hours before using it. During this time, it will be able to thaw at normal room temperature. It is not recommended to re-freeze this broom and it is better to use it immediately for its intended purpose.

Healing properties

A broom made from birch branches has a huge number of healing components. Many essential oils, tannins, phytoncides, carotene and ascorbic acid have a positive effect on the human body.

It is recommended to make mixed brooms. To the birch branches you can add several branches of juniper or bay tree, a little wormwood, chamomile, St. John's wort, and nettle. This will add more aroma and double the healing properties of the broom.

Using such a broom will help with pain and aches in joints and muscles, and relieve tension after training or physical activity. Essential oils will help combat rashes and dry skin. After the bath, you can prepare a healing infusion from birch branches to strengthen your hair and eliminate dandruff.

Preparing a broom for a bath

Note that a dry broom is not used immediately; it is pre-steamed in water. But in order to preserve the leaves on it, this must be done gradually, dividing the steaming into several steps. To begin with, simply rinse the broom with warm water. After this, pour almost hot water and put a broom there. Cover it on top and keep it this way for about a quarter of an hour. After this procedure, the leaves become silky and very pleasant to the touch. Severely dry birch brooms are doused with boiling water several times.

How to properly store bath brooms in an apartment or house?

Anyone can assemble a bath broom, but not everyone knows how to store bath brooms correctly. The quality of steaming and whether the person steaming will benefit from this procedure depends on how to store bath brooms.

Basic rules for drying and storing brooms in the house and apartment:

It is advisable to mix different types of plants. You can add a sprig of laurel tree to the birch branches. This will add a noticeable aroma.
Fresh brooms, freshly picked and tied, are not stored. First they need to be dried.
When drying, it is necessary to get rid of the dried leaves, and it is better to tie the branches with gauze or cloth rope.
Using a knife, knots that can cause damage are removed.
The best month for harvesting is July.
Dry in a dark, ventilated area, hanging.
Can be preserved by freezing. To do this, use polyethylene, which is used to wrap the product and place it in the freezer.
Do not store in warm and damp rooms, near stoves, radiators and other heating devices.
It cannot be kept in a steam room or in a lying position on a wooden surface.

Best places for drying and storage:

Rest rooms in the bathhouse.
Attic, barn.
In the apartment they dry it and store it on the balcony, hanging it from the ceiling.
Canopy. Negative aspects include the effect of insects on products.
Bags and nets. This method is used for mass procurement to reduce the occupied area.
Hay. Storing in hay does not allow the product to become moldy or spoiled.
Forest. This method involves cutting branches for a broom in the forest immediately before going to the bathhouse.
It's cold in winter.

Do I need a permit to cut branches?

According to current legislation, the harvesting of non-timber forest resources, which includes tree branches, is absolutely free (Article 32 of the Forest Code of the Russian Federation). However, since in this case the cutting of branches has signs of an industrial scale and is carried out for the purpose of subsequent resale, the supervisory authorities (in this case the forestry department) may require a certificate of registration of the individual entrepreneur.

In addition, in many regions it will be necessary to pre-register a site for harvesting in the forestry department.

In reality, this is rarely observed. Most often, harvesters choose remote villages where foresters rarely visit. It turns out that about 80-85% of all bath brooms in the country were procured illegally. Often, foresters simply turn a blind eye to cutting branches for brooms for a certain amount.

Fir

The most important thing is to prevent the effect of direct sunlight on a fir bath product. The sun makes the branches dry, and the fir broom loses its beneficial and aromatic qualities. The needles become orange-gray in color, and the leaves begin to fall off.

The effect of high humidity also affects the needles, making them dark in color. The needles wrinkle and fall off. Therefore, the collection of fir branches is carried out in warm, non-rainy weather, at the moment the dew disappears.

It should be stored in a dark, ventilated and dry place.

Many professional bath attendants do not immediately make a product from fir branches, but make a sheaf from them and dry them in straw in the attic. And before taking bath procedures, branches are removed and a broom is tied from them. This method protects against drying out and debate.
Dried grass is spread out in any dark place, and fir branches are laid on it at a distance from each other. They are covered with straw on top and turned over every three days.

After a month, they cover themselves with plenty of grass. In this state they can remain until autumn. If necessary, the branches are taken out and tied.

In apartments you can store a fir broom by wrapping it in a thick layer of paper.

What is good about freezing brooms?

Many of us freeze mushrooms, berries, vegetables, and even herbs for the winter. I want something fresh and fragrant in winter. The situation is the same with freezing brooms.

Not everyone has the opportunity to keep an excellent steam room broom intact. Often, by the end of the cold season, the kings of the steam room lose their properties and their appearance deteriorates.

Thin branches dry out, bend and the broom becomes more like Baba Yaga's broom. Let's not forget about the most important element - the foliage. A dry leaf withers and crumbles in any case.

Often, the owners of their own bathhouse kingdom use the attic of the bathhouse to store brooms. Warm, hot air, according to the laws of physics, rises and sometimes it gets hot in the attic under the roof - do the brooms simply dry out?

When brooms are frozen, such troubles are not terrible. In the refrigerator there will be constant sub-zero temperature conditions without fluctuations and tearing of the sheet tissue.

Eucalyptus

Before storage, the eucalyptus broom must be dried. Drying it is done in the same way as with other types of brooms. For this purpose, choose a dark, ventilated place where there is no direct sunlight and high temperature.

The branches need to be tied, create a handle and hang them from the ceiling or on the wall of the room. When choosing the second option, it is necessary to constantly turn the products over to ensure even drying and to eliminate the possibility of rotting.

Eucalyptus must be stored very carefully, as its branches are characterized by increased fragility and brittleness. The best storage location would be an inaccessible, lockable room.

Birch

A warm sunny day is used to harvest birch branches. If the humidity is high during harvesting, the leaves will rot, darken and curl, and eventually fall off.

Knitted products must be dried in a dark, well-ventilated place. An attic, barn, or balcony are suitable for this. Hanging dry.

Storage is carried out in dark places. The sun's rays negatively affect any broom, causing yellowing of the leaves and loss of aroma.

You can also store them in a box with holes for air circulation. The products are placed in a box and stored in a cool place away from sunlight.

For city residents, storing bath brooms on the balcony is popular. They are tied to a rope near the ceiling.

How to choose the right one when purchasing?

Properly drying birch brooms should be in the shade in the open air. The brooms are hung by the base in the shade, on the veranda or in the garden, and dried in this position for 5-6 days.

Avoid exposure to the sun as it will dry out the leaves and cause them to curl.

When the leaves become brittle and breakable, it means that the broom is already dry and you need to immediately put it away for storage, otherwise the leaves will fall off.

Advice! Before drying, place the brooms under a press for several days, turning them over periodically, so that excess moisture will be released from the leaves and branches.

If it is not possible to make a broom yourself, then you can purchase a ready-made one. They are inexpensive and in terms of quality you can find an excellent option. To do this, you should know how to choose the right broom when purchasing:

Turn the bunch leaves side down and shake a little. If a lot of leaves fall off, it means that the harvesting technology was violated.
Touch the leaf; it should be dry, but not crumble in your hand.
A well-made bundle should fit in your hand. The lower branches are specially trimmed to make it comfortable to hold.
Smell the broom: the presence of a smell of dampness or mold is a sign of improper preparation and violation of storage conditions.

The bunch should be tight, but not too tight, so that the air can circulate and the leaves can ventilate.

Oak

Oak brooms are harvested in the summer. Choose branches in dark places where burdocks grow. These brooms will be durable when used.

Dry in dark, ventilated areas away from sunlight. Subsequently, the product is pressed under heavy pressure. This is necessary for convenient storage.

Stored in rooms with good ventilation, outdoor humidity and temperature. Packed in paper to allow the broom to “breathe” freely. For long-term storage, products are placed in boxes and placed on a wooden surface.

If properly prepared and stored, this oak product can be used for more than two years.