With saunas popping up all across the UK (and beyond), more of us are stepping into the heat for the first time. But while the appeal of a sauna is simple, the etiquette isn’t always obvious – and sometimes it’s left to you to work it out. Before you chuck water on the rocks willy-nilly or open up loudly about your childhood trauma to a room of unwilling listeners, it pays to know the unwritten rules of sauna culture.
Have a read, strip off, grab a towel, and let’s head in.
Sauna etiquette and rules
Shower first
Rinsing off before entering a sauna always feels like a counterproductive step. After all, why would you get clean before you start sweating? Showering before a sauna is, in fact, a really important hygienic step – as it removes dirt, oils and skincare products, protecting the wood of the sauna and also saving your sauna-mates from grease, grime and unwanted odours.
It’s also helpful for your own sauna experience, as the removal of these oils allows you to sweat freely and improves heat transfer for a better sauna experience.
Be wary of chat and respect the silence
Saunas can enable some wonderfully open, frank conversations – but, like any quiet environment, it’s worth gauging the mood in the room before you get too carried away. Keep your voices low, as others may be in the sauna to enjoy the quiet.
Top tip: If you’re in a local sauna and might be having a good gossip, beware of spilling the beans about someone else in the area. You never know who might be listening!
Take a towel
This is one of the most important steps for achieving good sauna etiquette. Sitting or lying on a towel not only protects the wood from sweat, it’s also good manners and enforces good hygienic practices. It keeps the bench dry, which is considerate for the next person who sits there. This is particularly important if there’s a cold plunge or swimming element accompanying the sauna, as you’ll be bringing in additional moisture.
In Finland, sauna users bring a sheet of fabric known as a “pefletti”, which is placed on the sauna bench. It’s particularly important in Finland, as most sauna users will be naked.
Don’t take up too much space if it’s busy
If the sauna’s empty, feel free to kick back, lie down and really take up space. But if it’s a busy session with lots of people, be aware of who’s around you and make sure you’re not encroaching on others’ space.
Keep an eye on others around you. Remember that the higher benches in a sauna are hotter (as heat rises), so offer to rotate with others if you’ve been in your space too long.
Always consult others before putting water on the rocks
This is always a tricky one to navigate. Adding water to hot sauna rocks creates steam – known in Finnish as “löyly”, which in turn increases the humidity and makes the room feel hotter. Saunas may have added essential oils like eucalyptus or pine to the water ladle to help clear the senses of sauna-goers.
It’s the main way of adjusting the perceived temperature within a sauna, so it’s often left to users’ discretion. You don’t want to be overzealous and assume everyone’s happy for you to pump up the heat, but you also don’t want to sit back while everyone thinks, “hmmmm, I could be hotter”.
Ask others whether they’d like more water added. Judge the responses and the energy of the sauna accordingly, and go from there. Avoid adding too much water in one go – a cup at a time is the recommended amount. Wait a few minutes between pours to allow the stones to reheat and respond.
Watch your gaze
When you’re relaxed, it’s easy to stare into space and not realise where your eyes have landed – because mentally, you’re a million miles away. Make sure your gaze hasn’t settled anywhere it shouldn’t. Let’s leave it at that, shall we?!
Wipe down after you
Towel etiquette in a sauna is important. When your sauna session is over, wipe up the bench after you. It helps protect the longevity of the wooden bench, prevents mould developing and shows care for the sauna equipment and your fellow sauna-goers.
Remember to drink water!
This isn’t a rule – it’s simply advice you should most definitely heed (based on many instances of this writer’s intense dehydration following a sauna session). Always take a bottle of water into the sauna with you, and make sure you’re continually topping up your water intake. You lose a lot of fluids from sweating, so it’s important you replenish your hydration as you go. This is also why it’s best to avoid alcohol around saunas, as it causes further dehydration.
Check out our list of the best water bottles to try.
Top image: During sunset in Oslo, people experience the floating sauna on the city's waterfront. These traditional wood-fired saunas offer an opportunity to relax before plunging into the cold waters, a practice deeply rooted in Scandinavian culture (Photo by Michael Nguyen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
