Sauna Hygiene: Best Practices for Keeping Your Sauna Clean and Germ-Free

Maintaining a clean and hygienic sauna is vital for your relaxing and enjoyable experience. Cleaning the sauna regularly helps prevent the accumulation of sweat, dirt, and bacteria, ensuring your unit is safe for unwinding. Let’s explore effective ways of keeping your sauna germ-free. 

Daily Sauna Maintenance Tips

Here are before, during, and after-use tips to help you keep your sauna clean and guarantee a seamless maintenance process.

·       Cure the Sauna Before Use

Preheat or cure the sauna before using it. Doing so helps you sweat sooner, improving your experience and keeping viruses and bacteria at bay. Cure your sauna for 30 minutes to one hour. Wash the sauna stones once the unit reaches the desired temperature to add humidity to the room. 

·       Bathe Before Entering the Sauna

Take a shower before entering the sauna to avoid introducing dirt or accumulated oils on your skin to the sauna. Avoid harsh soaps when showering as they can seep into the sauna wood, damaging it. 

·       Use Rugs or Towels

Wrap yourself in a towel and step on a rug when using the sauna. The towel provides comfort and is an absorbent layer between the sauna wood and you. Sweating has numerous benefits but can damage the wood, resulting in discoloration and staining. 

·       Use Soft or Filtered Water

Hard water contains calcium and magnesium salts, so soft or filtered water is recommended. Remember, when steam condenses, it leaves limescale buildup, which can be hard to clean. 

·       Ensure the Room is Ventilated Between Uses

Bacteria thrive in damp and warm places. When not in use, you want to ensure your sauna is well-ventilated. Keep doors, windows, and vents open for a few hours to ensure excess moisture escapes. 

·       Wipe Down Surfaces Between Use

Wipe down surfaces after every sauna session. The interior of your unit is made of untreated wooden benches and porous wood. The wood is untreated to ensure it absorbs and releases moisture freely. It is worth mentioning that untreated wood is more vulnerable to wear. Use a damp cloth to wipe surfaces and keep them clean. Use a sauna-specific cleaning agent or a mild soap for stubborn stains. You can also sand down the area once it dries up. 

·       Use Antibacterial Essential Oils

Traditional saunas have hot stones into which water is poured to create steam. Adding essential oils to the water is a great way to keep your traditional sauna clean and fresh. Some essential oils, such as tea tree oil, have antibacterial properties. Essential oils smell good, are great for your skin, and will keep your sauna bacteria-free. 

Products to Clean Your Sauna With

Here are simple products you can use to clean your sauna. 

·       A Vinegar Solution

Vinegar is a natural substance that can have a pungent smell. However, it is ideal for eliminating germs and bacteria without damaging the wood inside your home sauna. Soak your sauna stones with water and vinegar to remove limescale. To reduce the smell, prepare this mixture by adding vinegar and water to a spray bottle in a one-to-one ratio. You can also add a drop of essential oil for freshness. 

·       Baking Soda Cleaning Solution

Baking soda is a cost-friendly and versatile cleaning agent that can be used to clean your sauna without damaging the wood. To make a baking soda cleaning solution, add one tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of baking soda. This will cause a foaming reaction. The grit of baking soda is abrasive, helping remove grime. To use it, dip a cloth or sponge in the solution and apply it directly on the stains. Allow the solution to stand before rinsing it off with water. 

·       Soft Soap

Choose a soft soap such as linseed soap to clean and maintain hygiene and leave a pleasant smell in the sauna. Soft soap protects the sauna benches while refreshing the room. Further, it doesn’t leave film or residue on your walls. But you should use it sparingly. If you use lots of it, then you’ll need to rinse it off with water. Dish soap is also ideal for cleaning the sauna. All you need to do is dilute it with water before use. 

Products to Avoid when Cleaning the Sauna

There are various products to avoid when cleaning and caring for your sauna because they are strong and can discolor or damage the wood. These include:

·       Chlorine Based Products

Chlorine or mild bleach solutions can discolor wood and shorten the lifespan of the wood. It’s not ideal for use in rooms that get too hot, as any residue gets soaked in the wood and spreads in the air when heated. It can be inhaled, posing a health risk to sauna users. So, avoiding chlorine-based cleaning agents in the sauna is highly recommended.

·       Pine Oil

Pine oil leaves a pungent film and a residue on sauna wood. However, you can still use pine oil as long as it contains lye, water, and pine oil. Dilute it with water before using it. 

Steps to Cleaning the Sauna

Here are steps to help you clean the sauna seamlessly. 

·       Collect all Materials

Gather all the materials you’ll need to execute the cleaning. Depending on the products you choose, you can gather baking soda and vinegar solution, soft soap, a cleaning cloth for wiping the unit, and a scrub brush to remove stubborn stains or mold. 

·       Wipe the Unit Top to Bottom

Begin cleaning top to bottom. Start with the ceiling before moving to the walls, and refresh the cleaning solution as you go. Proceed to the benches, seats, and backrests, then finish with the floor.

Use a mopping pad or pole for the floor to avoid back pain. If the benches are built-in, remove them and wipe the surfaces underneath and behind them. Cleaning your unit thoroughly prevents the accumulation of grime. 

·       Work on the Extremely Dirty Areas

Check for mold and dark areas. You may want to use a brush and sturdy sponge to help remove the dirt. If you notice mildew or mold, then clean it thoroughly. 

·       Clean Rocks and Water Basin

If you’re using a traditional sauna, you’ll need to check the rocks and basin to determine whether they need to be cleaned. If there’s scale formation, soak the rocks in a mild bleach solution to eliminate it. Clean the basin and ladle using the same procedure you used to clean other surfaces. 

·       Rinse the Sauna

If you’re using an outdoor sauna, the cleaning process is easier. Use a hose to rinse the unit and remove any cleaning material residue. A hose may not be ideal for indoor saunas. Instead, wipe it with a clean rag and fresh water until all the residue is removed.

·       Air the Sauna to Dry

Leave your sauna doors and windows open. This will allow the unit to dry and get ready for the next use. 

Finally

Always clean stains immediately after noticing them. Even when the unit is not seemingly dirty, consider cleaning it once a month. While sauna bathing can have numerous health benefits, you must clean your sauna well to keep it hygienic and prevent germs. Use these tips to maintain cleanliness and enjoy a refreshing sauna experience.