Spring Clean for a Spotless Sauna

Cleanliness is an essential part of the overall authentic sauna experience. An untidy sauna and washing area can easily ruin the relaxing experience. Regular use of home saunas, commercial spas and health club settings will lead to build up of dirt, sweat and bacteria. A thorough and regular cleaning practice is extremely important to keep the sauna hygienic and pleasant to unwind in.  

You can read more about the cleaning practices of commercial saunas on the link below: 

Cleaning a Commercial Sauna  

We’ve gathered a five-step guide to walk you through an effective spring clean routine for a spotless home sauna.  

1. What you will need 

The cleaning regime begins with the correct equipment and sauna friendly detergents. You’ll need: 

• Warm water 
• *Sauna safe cleaner 
• Sponge or soft brush 
• Microfiber cloth 
• Hoover or a long brush 
• Gloves 

*There are specially designed products for cleaning saunas, such as the sauna clean by Stelon, which are suitable for all sauna woods and tiles, and washing areas. You can also use mild, low alkaline cleaning products with a pH of 8 to 10. Many Finns use a specific soft pine soap for cleaning the sauna. Make sure the washing agent is suitable to be used in the sauna environment as harsh chemicals can damage the timber and may be harmful in the hot and humid environment.  

Seat covers will help keep the benches clean. 

2. Remove loose dirt 

Start by getting rid of any loose dirt by hoovering the floor, benches and cladding on the walls and ceiling. Use a soft brush for timber surfaces to avoid scratch marks. You can also use a long brush instead of a hoover.    

3. Warm water and diluted sauna cleaner 

Pour warm water onto wooden surfaces to open up the natural fibres of the timber. Get your sauna clean or general, mild washing agent and water mixture ready. Avoid using chlorinated products. Wood absorbs chlorine and it can release into the air when the sauna is heated up.  

Use a sponge or a soft brush to clean all surfaces. It is best to wash wooden surfaces in the direction of the fibres. Make sure to clean between the gaps and underneath the benches. It is usually the non- visible areas that collect most of the dirt. We also recommend treating the wood with paraffin oil once or twice a year depending on how often and by how many people the sauna is used.  

Rinse with cool water afterwards. Use a microfiber cloth or a towel to rinse off any remainders of the sauna cleaner.  

Don't forget to clean the drain.  

It is important to clean between all gaps in the paneling and underneath the sauna benches

4. Dry the sauna 

Let the sauna air out. You can turn on the heater for a while to speed up the drying.

5. Clean adjacent shower- and dressing room areas 

The sauna experience starts in the dressing room. An unclean dressing room and shower area before stepping into the sauna can easily ruin the overall experience. As the sauna itself, the dressing- and washrooms should look, feel and smell hygienic.   

The sauna experience starts in the dressing room and shower areas

Optional: Check the sauna stones 

Sauna spring clean is a great opportunity to check the condition of the sauna stones. The stones can be rinsed with water to get rid of dust. However, do not use any detergents on the stones. You may want to begin with this step, as the crumbles and dust from the stones will likely get on the floor. You can read more about changing your sauna stones here.