How to Make a Sauna Whisk: it’s a beautiful way to connect with nature and elevate your sauna experience into something deeply relaxing.
In Estonian culture, there’s a time-honored tradition called vihtlemine—whisking—which begins with crafting a soft bundle of leafy branches used to gently brush and invigorate the skin.
This tutorial will guide you through making your own sauna whisk, featuring expert tips from Eda Veeroja, the hostess of Mooska farm in Haanjamaa and a passionate guardian of smoke sauna heritage.
What Is a Sauna Whisk?
What is a sauna whisk may sound unfamiliar at first, but it’s a simple and meaningful tool used in the sauna.
A sauna whisk, called viht in Estonia, is a bunch of leafy branches tied together into a soft, brush-like bundle.
While you relax in the heat of the sauna, you use the whisk to gently tap or brush your body, releasing calming scents and improving how your skin and muscles feel.
According to Eda Veeroja, whisking wasn’t traditionally part of every sauna session—it was reserved for healing rituals or customs with meaning. “Breaking branches from the forest for a whisk must have a serious reason,” she says. It’s an act of deep respect and intention.
Why Should You Use a Sauna Whisk?
Why should you use a sauna whisk comes down to its powerful effects on both body and mind.
The gentle tapping of the leaves awakens your skin, boosts circulation, and loosens tension. Meanwhile, earthy aromas from the leaves ground your emotions and clear your thoughts.
Eda emphasizes that whisking is not just physical care, but a ritual. The rhythm is often guided by sauna chants or breathing phrases, anchoring you in the moment and connecting you with ancestral traditions.
Gathering What You Need
Gathering what you need to make a sauna whisk begins with choosing your branches mindfully.
You’ll want about twenty flexible, arm-length branches. Birch is traditional, but oak, maple, hazel, lilac, and many herbs are suitable too.
Eda recommends gathering in the afternoon when the branches are dry and full of energy. “Look at the forest, meadow, and garden with squinted eyes,” she says. “Ask the plant spirits if they can help you in the sauna today. They will answer by swaying or nodding.”
Choose only what you need, ideally from second- or third-year growths.
You’ll also need a pair of scissors or garden clippers and some natural string or twine.
Be Careful with Knives
Be careful with knives when cutting branches for your sauna whisk. Make sure the blade is sharp enough to slice cleanly—and always handle it with care. A sharp knife can easily slip, so cut slowly and mindfully.
Herbs like mint, lavender, or blackcurrant can be tucked into the center of your whisk for extra healing and fragrance. Always pick from clean, unsprayed places far from roads.
How to Make Your Sauna Whisk
How to make your sauna whisk starts with preparing both your tools and your heart.
In Estonian tradition, we ask the plant for permission before cutting. As Eda Veeroja says, “Look at the tree with soft eyes and ask, ‘Will you help me in the sauna today?’ If the branches seem to nod or sway in the breeze, that’s a sign it’s okay to harvest.”
This respectful practice connects you to the forest and ensures the whisk carries good energy.
Watch: How to Make a Sauna Whisk (Video Guide)
This step-by-step tutorial video shows how to craft a sauna whisk using traditional methods. Follow along visually to see how the leaves are gathered, arranged, and tied—perfect if you’re making your first viht.
Measure the sauna whisk according to the length of your forearm — this is a traditional and practical method to ensure the sauna whisk suits your arm and body structure. This technique is often used by experienced whiskers and sauna masters.
After harvesting, let the branches rest in the shade for a few hours so the leaves can relax. Strip the bottom few inches (or centimeters) of leaves to create a handle.
Arrange your branches in a fan shape with strong branches in the center. Eda recommends trimming the thicker parts at the handle to avoid needing to retie it later.
Tie tightly with twine, trim the base, and your whisk is ready to use or dry.
Fresh Versus Dried Sauna Whisks
Fresh versus dried sauna whisks depend on how you plan to use them.
A fresh sauna whisk is gathered just before the sauna and used right away. It does not need to be soaked—your sweat and steam release the plant’s benefits.
Keep it upright in cool water until use. After the session, it may be dried if intact but is often composted.
A dried sauna whisk is for long-term use. Let the leaves breathe in the shade briefly before tying, then dry in a dark, warm place (86-122°F / 30–50°C). Eda suggests using the residual heat of the sauna for drying, following the same principles as drying medicinal herbs.
This process can take several days. When you want to use it, soak it in water before bringing it into the sauna. With good care, dried sauna whisks can be used many times.
How to Use Your Sauna Whisk
How to use your sauna whisk properly begins with warming up your body.
Start whisking during your third sauna round, once your body is warm and clean. Begin from the soles of the feet and move upward.
Traditionally, men begin with the right leg and women with the left. Each area should be whisked at least three times.
Eda recommends letting your breath and rhythm be guided by sauna words or chants. Some people speak quiet sauna words or chants to guide their breath and motion.
When the body feels fully refreshed, drop the sauna whisk to the floor, step over it, and say pure words. This completes the ritual, symbolizing that you’ve let go of what you no longer need.
Cleaning and Storing Your Sauna Whisk
Cleaning and storing your sauna whisk ensures it can be reused properly.
Rinse it under lukewarm water to remove sweat and skin.
Then, following tradition, tap it on the ground three times with your left heel, saying: “Whisk be clean.” This traditional phrase helps clear both the energy and the sauna whisk itself.
Hang the sauna whisk upside down in a cool, shaded place to dry. It’s ready for the next session once it’s dry and smells fresh again.
Leftover leaves from whisk-making can be dried for foot baths, scrubs, or sauna pillows, adding another layer of wellness to your sauna rituals.
Choosing Plants for Your Sauna Whisk
Choosing plants for your sauna whisk allows you to personalize the experience to your needs.
Eda Veeroja recommends many different trees and herbs, each with distinct benefits:
- Birch – Uplifting and purifying; relieves pain and heals skin
- Oak – Strong and grounding; energizes and supports heart health
- Maple – Cooling and calming; ideal for elders or sensitive skin
- Hazel – Soft and light; reduces varicose veins and brings clarity
- Linden – Soothes muscles, relieves colds, and sharpens focus
- Lilac – Energizing and heart-opening; aids in emotional healing
You can also add mugwort, mint, rosemary, lemon balm, hops, yarrow, and more. Whatever you use, make sure the plants are safe, clean, and harvested with care.
Choose what speaks to your senses and spirit—and always harvest responsibly.
Seasonal Tips from Estonia
Seasonal tips from Estonia are closely tied to moon cycles and plant rhythms.
Eda’s calendar for whisking in 2025 includes:
- Birch branches are best between July 12 and 22, during the waning moon.
- Oak is strongest during the full moons in July and August.
- Maple is usually harvested from mid to late July.
- Linden flowers are picked when blooming, especially from June 26 to July 10.
Whisks made during the Great Days of June 20–22 are believed to hold nine healing forces, ideal for solstice rituals or healing saunas.
Embracing the Sauna Whisking Tradition
Embracing the sauna whisking tradition means treating the practice as more than a cleansing—it’s a form of communion with nature and self.
Crafting your sauna whisk with intention, using it with reverence, and honoring its materials completes the sauna ritual in a truly holistic way.
With Eda Veeroja’s guidance, every part of the process, from asking permission to whisking your skin, becomes a sacred act of care. Whether birch in midsummer or lilac in spring, your whisk is a bridge between forest wisdom and personal wellness.
Based on: Mooska Smoke Sauna Farm