Sauna Care

Different home saunas require different care Home saunas come in two basic forms - dry and wet. A wet sauna is known as a steam sauna room that is kept at lower temperatures (100 to 115 degrees F) than a dry sauna (up to 190 degrees F). Some dry saunas use infrared heating to emit infrared radiant heat. Each type of home sauna requires different care. The wood interior portion of any indoor home sauna - whether artificial or real - should not be painted. Wood needs to breathe to absorb and slowly release heat and humidity. Sauna door handles and sauna floor boards, on the other hand, can be treated with a polyurethane finish or a good wood sealant to make cleaning easier. Larry McDermott, manager of Home Innovations Spas in Omaha, NE, says home saunas are easy to maintain. Keeping the wood in good shape, he says, is the major concern. Sitting on towels can protect the wood, he says, and use of a light solution of bleach and water will keep it clean and eliminate the locker room smell that excessive sweat can produce. Anti-bacterial sprays and other disinfectants aren't necessary within a indoor home sauna, because the steam will kill any germs that might enter. Those types of sauna cleaners can seep into the wood and give off unpleasant fumes while preheating the sauna. It's best to keep a hand brush in the sauna and use plain water to scrub the benches, walls, and backrests after each use.

Also after using the sauna, the duckboards should be elevated from the floor. The sauna door should be left open to fully air the unit out. Heat within the wood and from the sauna rocks should dry the sauna. If using terrycloth towels to keep perspiration off the wood, make sure to wash the towels on occasion.

Infrared saunas are easy to maintain
Infrared saunas are growing in popularity as a method to improve one's health. The infrared sauna heaters can be used indoors or outdoors and require very little maintenance. Wiping the stainless steel surface of the heater with a mild detergent and a soft cloth is all that's necessary. If the sauna heater stops working, don't try fixing it yourself; take it to a repair shop.

A wood-burning sauna heater needs a little more care than an infrared sauna heater. Ash residue from wood-burning heaters must be regularly removed, and the exhaust pipe should be inspected often for any obstructions. Dangerous creosote can build up in the exhaust pipe over time, creating the possibility of fire. For severe buildup cases, it's a good idea to have a professional chimney cleaner help remove excess creosote.

Don't ignore the light bulbs in your sauna. Sauna lights usually have a shorter lifespan inside a home sauna. You can choose any color bulb, although amber-orange bulbs provide a soft, comfortable, and warm sauna light. A rough service bulb, similar to an automotive trouble light, will last longer.

If your sauna uses granite sauna rocks, you'll want to replace them every six to 10 years. It's possible in some cases that rocks can last up to 15 years in good service.

Maintenance for sauna accessories
There are a variety of sauna accessories you can add to make the home sauna experience even more enjoyable. The sauna accessories you can select include sauna buckets, fragrances, lotions, hangers, signs, and sauna thermometers. Most sauna accessories require little or no maintenance.

Wooden sauna buckets are used for pouring the water that creates the steam. The sauna bucket should be stored upside down to promote drying. Metal sauna buckets should not be placed on the top bench, because they can become too hot to touch.

Sauna doors get a workout over the months, and on occasion, the door might become sticky due to the combination of heat and moisture causing the wood to swell. Rubbing sandpaper gently over the portion of the sauna door that is sticking will remedy the problem.

Simple maintenance of a home sauna will help you enjoy all the benefits the unit has to offer. Taking the time to understand the care needed will allow you to get the best out of your home sauna for many years.