Saunas and bathhouses have long and firmly entered our lives. And now practically not a single summer cottage, not a single country house can do without this most important outbuilding. Often a bathhouse is a necessary element of country life and is built by the owner with love and care.
But what should you take with you, what should every self-respecting steamer have? Well, of course, a broom! This is where we begin the story about bath accessories.
Brooms
“The broom is the boss of everyone in the bathhouse” Broom is the most important bathhouse attribute. What are brooms made of?
The most common ones are made from branches of deciduous and coniferous trees. Of the deciduous trees, the most popular among the people are birch and oak brooms; there are also linden brooms; Of the conifers, fir is recognized as the best – the fir foot is very soft and fragrant. They also use juniper, but juniper is quite prickly, so you need to have a special habit. As for me, I like birch brooms most of all: they are softer than oak, and most importantly, very fragrant.
Nettle brooms are also used: plucked stems of stinging nettle in a hot bath lose their stinging properties, so there is no need to steam it. Branches of fragrant and medicinal plants, such as wormwood, are often added to wood brooms. Yes, they also use eucalyptus brooms if they can be purchased somewhere. They are very fragrant due to their essential oils. Wooden bowl and bamboo brooms Now there are special bamboo brooms on sale – in the form of a bunch of long and thin sticks. They are used not so much for hovering (otherwise you can get bruises), but rather for light massage pats. If the birch broom is fresh, and recently cut, there is no need to steam it. Otherwise, it becomes too soft, produces a lot of mucus, and is not very pleasant to use. But already dried brooms must be filled with hot water. Well, it seems that we have decided on the brooms. What else is important to take with you to the bathhouse?
A sheet or large towel
Also an important attribute of bath procedures. A large terry towel or linen sheet – the main thing is that the material is natural, absorbs moisture well, is pleasant to the body, and is of a size that allows you to wrap yourself in it.
Hat and mittens
These accessories are necessary for the most avid and desperate vapers. In general, even if you don’t steam, but just like to sit on a shelf and warm up, it’s better to put a hat or scarf on your head: this way you will protect your head and hair from excessive overheating.
And if you take a steam bath, you definitely need a hat, otherwise not only your head but also your ears can get too hot and even get burned. It’s the same with your hands: with strong steam, waving a broom with your bare hands is not very pleasant, they burn very much from the heat. So, avid steamers wear special mittens made of felt or felt in the bathhouse, but no, ordinary mittens (wide mittens usually worn over mittens) are also suitable – they are most comfortable, they are easy to put on wet hands and take off.
Bath hats are made from natural felt or wool, in a shape to suit every taste. The most comfortable is a simple bell-shaped hat. By the way, they are sold in special departments of stores.
If you visit a public bathhouse, be sure to have slippers (ordinary flip-flops will do) and a special mat for sitting, which can also be purchased in the store.
Rugs can be made of rubber, made from boards, or felt, and if there are none, then just a small towel will do. In your country bathhouse, you usually cover the shelves with a sheet – it’s both more pleasant and aesthetically pleasing. All of the above are the most necessary bath attributes.
Wooden accessories
If you are just building your sauna, then you need to immediately take care of such things as a good durable ladle on a long wooden handle, a sauna thermometer, and a wooden pile is optional. You can also steam a broom in a regular basin. But the wooden gang is more beautiful!
Oils and herbs
Aromatic oils and herbal infusions will not interfere with the bath. They are added to the drinking water, and a pleasant smell spreads throughout the bathhouse along with the steam.
It’s good if you have various fragrant herbs growing in your summer cottage. Before the bath, brew sprigs of mint, lemon balm, oregano, and wormwood in a bucket or basin, and then add the infusion to the water for dousing or rinse your head with it. And the aroma in the bathhouse will be from these herbs!
And one more thing
It is highly desirable, but not absolutely necessary, to take a special massage scraper to the bathhouse. Now there are a variety of them on sale, often plastic, with various spikes or prickles on the surface. You can put them on your hand and massage your body. This is usually done by sitting for a while and steaming in a bathhouse: such scrapers remove the upper epidermal layer of skin very well.
We have already said that a thermometer is necessary in the bath. When giving steam, look at it: the temperature in a humid Russian bath should usually be within +60…+75°C.
The Russian steam bath is good because, unlike other baths, it has an optimal humidity of 40%. In a sauna, it is only 10%, and in a Turkish hammam it is 100%! To determine this indicator, you can hang a special device – a hygrometer. Although such humidity is usually maintained in a Russian bath from the very beginning, due to its design.
Cosmetic oil is also used in the bath. It is applied to the body at the final stage of all bath procedures and easily massaged while sitting in a warm steam room.
When going to the bathhouse, be sure to take drinks with you – herbal tea, kvass, or just water. But you shouldn’t drink alcohol (even beer) during the bath procedure.
Read more: Which sauna stones are better: 10 excellent options, comparison table, and selection tips
