Going to the steam room, you need to prepare a traditional set of bath accessories: a broom, a washcloth, a towel, a sheet, a hat, personal hygiene items, herbal or green tea. In this article, we will analyze the topic of washcloths, their reassignment, manufacture and use. Content:
- The need for a washcloth in the bath
-
Types of bath sponges
- For men
- For women
- For children
- Bath washcloth material
- Features of using washcloths
A washcloth is a bath accessory designed for washing the body. Effectively removes dirt on the skin, performs the function of a surface massage, which stimulates and accelerates blood circulation. The washcloth is a personal hygiene item, so it should serve one person.
The need for a washcloth in the bath
The first real washcloths first appeared on the stalls in the 19th century. They were made from hemp. Before the invention of the bath accessory necessary in a civilized society, people cleansed their skin in other ways: they washed their bodies with their hands and rubbed them with a damp cloth; applied clay, left to dry, then pick out together with dead epithelium particles; if there was no clay, they took sand and cleaned the body with it.
In the world of innovation and progress, the variety of washcloths is determined by the method of manufacture, the origin and quality of materials, as well as the preferences and financial capabilities of the consumer. Synthetic and natural fibers for weaving and loofah production can have a direct effect on the skin.
The positive effect comes after using a tough high-quality washcloth made from natural raw materials, which thoroughly cleanses the skin from impurities and removes aged cells of the epidermis. As a result, the regeneration mode starts, and very soon the skin acquires a healthy look and velvety texture.
Types of bath sponges
Washcloths are different and differ in shape, origin, type, degree of rigidity, design features (handles, double-sided model, decorative elements). For men and women, there are recommendations for choosing this accessory.
Bath washcloths for men
If you decide to buy a loofah as a gift for a man, choose samples with the greatest degree of rigidity. These can be products of a neutral color from loofah, bast, sisal or ramie.
Since the representatives of the stronger sex respect the tradition of going to the bathhouse of a male company, they probably will not ask their comrades to rub their backs. This means that the washcloth should be long enough and with handles.
When buying a bath accessory for a man, it is worth considering some points:
- Age … A young guy, a hangout, is unlikely to appreciate the primordially traditional bast or sisal washcloth. In an elderly person, excessively stiff fiber can also cause discomfort and irritation.
- Life style … Office workers will be delighted with more delicate, skin-friendly accessories. Workers and builders, plumbers and miners will happily cleanse the body in a steamy washcloth of extreme hardness.
- Leather … The gentle washcloths are suitable for white men. Their skin is very sensitive to physical influences. If there are papillomas on the body, you cannot use a rigid, perforated washcloth, which will certainly injure such moles.
It is also important to buy a set of washcloths. In such sets, three types of washcloths are often sold: sponges - for every day, a loofah, ramie or bast washcloth - for the back, and hard sisal - for thrill-seekers.
Bath washcloths for women
The choice must be made based on the intended purpose and individual characteristics of the body. For sensitive skin, it is highly discouraged to use hard bristly washcloths, unless it is a deliberate move to get rid of colds and "orange peel" on the body.
With such a washcloth, you can rub the waist area, abdomen, thighs and gluteal muscles, rub your back and shoulders. When there are hanging moles (papillomas) on the body, you should be very careful to bypass these areas of the skin. In this case, you cannot use a hard washcloth with long handles for self-use.
Find an alternative as a dedicated brush with a long framed handle that allows directional movements. Ideally, you need to go to the bathhouse with a company, where there will certainly be someone who will rub your back. And for delicate and delicate areas, it is necessary to provide a separate loofah with a soft texture to avoid injury to the skin.
Bath sponges for children
For delicate baby skin, it is better to take sea sponges for delicate and gentle care. Washcloths made of synthetic materials are a bad option. Synthetic pieces of foam rubber do not differ in abrasive properties and are capable of settling a fungus in themselves in a short time in a humid environment and promoting the growth of bacteria.
An excellent option for a child would be a textile product-mitten in the interpretation of an animal or a favorite cartoon character. Also for babies, you can crochet soft washcloths from combined threads.
Bath washcloth material
Let's dig the ins and outs of bath sponges, study their composition and manufacturing methods. Items of materials are built in order of consumer demand:
- Hemp … Natural fiber made from hemp stems by scrubbing and combing. Such products are distinguished by a number of quality properties - high foaming and wear resistance. Practical and durable washcloths have a drawback: the fibers of the material are tough and can often injure the skin.
- Loofah … This plant is popularly known as "mad cucumber". This is explained by the ability of the fruits to explode and scatter their family far away. This plant is used to make tough bath scourers to thoroughly exfoliate dead cells. These washcloths are good for fighting cellulite in combination with a contrast shower. You cannot use such fiber on delicate areas of the body. If you need to buy a universal bath loofah, you should look for double-sided specimens made of loofah and foam rubber. The base material is characterized by hypoallergenic properties and relative durability.
- Linen … Linen washcloths have proven to be versatile, wear-resistant and foaming products. These products are characterized by antistatic, bio-normalizing and anti-allergenic properties. The service life does not affect the deterioration of properties.
- Lyko … Bast scourers are made from raw materials extracted from the fibrous undercrustal layer of linden. Such products in a warm, humid environment release phytoncides - substances that kill microbes. They guarantee deep pore cleansing and exfoliating effect.
- Sisal … The fiber is made from Mexican agave sprouts. The products are rough and hard to the touch (more than the loofah), and are distinguished by a characteristic yellow color. Such washcloths for baths and saunas have a scrubbing effect and promote the active release of grease from the skin pores. Sisal scourers are not suitable for daily use. Most often they are presented in the form of a mitten. To soften the fibers, the product is poured over with boiling water. The distinctive qualities of this bath product are considered to be low price and long service life.
- Rami … A semi-shrub plant of the nettle family is used as a raw material for the manufacture of bath sponges from ramie. Popularly called Japanese nettle, its stems contain a large amount of silky fibers. Like other natural hard washcloths, ramie products are not intended for daily use, as they more perform a massage function with a scrub effect.
- Sea sponges … These natural bath accessories are made from deep sea animals. A distinctive characteristic is its amazing tenderness in contact with the skin. Despite the animal origin, sea sponges have a pronounced antibacterial effect.
- Synthetic washcloths … These products fill 80% of the shelves of household chemicals in this category. Good or bad - there is no single answer. The assortment of products made of synthetic fibers is made up of high-quality and no less practical items. Price - from the minimum for foam sponges and mesh sponges to a higher cost for textile samples. It is worth noting that in the photo synthetic bath sponges have an attractive appearance, in addition, they are less susceptible to rotting and are not whimsical to care for. Such sponges are made of polymeric materials - nylon, polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene, etc.
Features of using a washcloth in a bath
Natural bath sponges must be doused with boiling water before use. Natural materials are subject to the natural process of decay, and constant exposure to humid conditions creates the basis for the emergence and reproduction of the fungus.
The effect on the skin from using a washcloth will come faster if you act correctly:
- Take a steam bath to open up the pores on your skin.
- Soak a washcloth in hot water.
- Lather it with natural liquid or laundry soap, which is a much more effective way to cleanse and disinfect your skin.
- Rub your body in directional, then circular motions.
- Rinse with warm water, then cold water.
- To consolidate the result, the procedure can be repeated.
After bath procedures, natural washcloths must be thoroughly dried outside or hung at home on a rope or dryer. Good air conductivity facilitates rapid weathering of moisture. In damp weather, you can dry the washcloth with a hairdryer by setting the mode to a warm air flow.
Dry scouring pads made of synthetic materials or sea sponges in a dry and well-ventilated area or outdoors. But remember that you should not let the bath sponges dry out in the open sun, otherwise the fibers will quickly deteriorate and crack.
Avoid independent manipulations with a hard washcloth in hard-to-reach places if hanging moles are observed on the body! Watch a video about bath sponges:
Remember, washcloths should be chosen according to your skin type. Natural products are not suitable for everyone, in particular, they are contraindicated for use by children and women with very delicate and sensitive skin. Before using the washcloth in the bath, pour boiling water over the product, apply soap, lather the washcloth and use it for pleasure.
