How to maintain the outdoor sauna?

If you‘re not sure about getting yourself an outdoor sauna, because of the maintenance, you don‘t have to worry, it‘s easy. Garden sauna must be maintained because there might be bacteria growing and you might get various diseases from them. Also, it will keep the interior nice and clean.

Before you start using the sauna, there is a decision to be made. Do you want to keep your sauna natural, or you want to add something in it? Maybe on just some parts, like benches?

There‘s an option, that‘s new in the sauna marketplace and, of course, the myth, how bad un-natural saunas are, is still here, so it‘s not used too much. It‘s the sauna wood oil. It will keep the natural wood color for the longer period of time, moisture absorption of wood will be reduced to a chance of almost none, and the wood will be protected from dirt. It is highly recommended to use Harvia sauna care set. It is suitable for heat treated wood and alder panels. The wood oil, unlike the cheap ones, is clean, colorless, and non-toxic for any wood, that your sauna uses. Keep in mind, that, without using the oil first, cleaners can harm the wood by bleaching and staining it. Use the high quality, more expensive chemicals to clean the barrel sauna‘s interior, as the cheaper, low-quality ones can cause unpleasant odors and eye irritation. The cleaner must be suitable for wood in humid interiors, follow instructions, and never clean the sauna when it‘s still hot, the better thing to do, is to let it cool or clean it the next day.

If you expect, that your garden sauna will work properly, and look good, when it’s untreated, you’re very wrong. Natural processes can cause the wood tends to change, and the exterior color turns grey. Dirt stains can also appear on the benches, but it just may be a consequence of how rare you clean the sauna. Sauna has to be cleaned with water, after you use it, every time. Dip the brush in the water and the benches, walls, etc. This will keep the sauna clean and pleasant to be in. After you do it, leave the door open, so it gets aired out. If still, there are dirt or sweat stains, that you cannot clean, or they’re developing again, use a hand brush with warm water and mild detergent mixed in. If you want them to look like new, just lightly sand them once a year. Never use bleach. It can dry out the wood and cause splintering. Splintering will definitely ruin your sauna experience.

When time is passing by, wood gets affected by sunlight, precipitation, and other weather conditions. Because of this, the exterior of the sauna has to be oiled at least twice a year, if you want to keep its natural color and look. Linseed should be perfect for this, because it‘s natural, forms a weatherproof layer, thickens the wood, and „shows its true colors and texture“. Door and windows should be treated with a wood impregnation agent from the inside and outside. It will protect them from twisting.

Other recommendations maintaining the outdoor sauna:

It is highly recommended to wash your feet, before starting the sauna session. If you like to jumping into the lake and getting back into the sauna, it is a priority, because some debris you bring in with your feet might damage the wood. It is also very good for your sauna to wash its floor a few times per year. You can easily minimize discoloration by using towels over benches and backrests.

It is necessary to clean the wooden bucket and place it upside down to dry, preferably outside the sauna, or on the stool. Metal buckets shouldn’t be left on the top bench, as they can get hot to the touch when they are near the ceiling.

Proper maintenance of the outdoor sauna will simply extend its lifetime. If you have any suggestions or comments, do not hesitate to contact us or comment below.