Are you thinking of getting an outdoor sauna for your garden? If so, you might want to look into how to care for and maintain one for the maximum benefits. Outdoor sauna care is much easier and more cost-effective than caring for a hot tub or pool.

If you’re wondering what exactly you’ll need to do to keep your sauna looking great and the maintenance costs down, keep reading.

Outdoor Sauna Care

 

How To Care For An Outdoor Sauna

Saunas, just like other structures that come in contact with water, need to be properly maintained and cared for to stay usable for longer. Here’s what you need to know about outdoor sauna care.

● Consider quality

If you haven’t bought a sauna yet, this point is very important. If you buy a good quality sauna, you will need to do less maintenance in the future to keep it in working order. Lower quality saunas may need a lot more maintenance, especially if they aren’t built properly.

Look for a sauna that is made from high-quality materials. If it’s wood, make sure the wood is properly treated to withstand moisture damage.

● Prepare the sauna

Before using your sauna for the first time, you need to make sure it is properly prepared. Make sure all wooden surfaces are properly treated with wood preservatives. Untreated wood will quickly start to rot due to the inevitable exposure to moisture.

It’s also best to wipe down all the surfaces and make sure everything is clean and dry before starting your sauna for the first time. It’s also important to cure your sauna, especially if you’re using it for the first time.

Set the temperature of your sauna as high as it can go for around 45 minutes to an hour. After that, pour at least a litre of water on the stones to make sure they are clean. You can repeat this outdoor sauna care routine if your sauna has been standing for a long time without being used.

Make sure the door is left open and all surfaces are wiped down to allow the sauna to dry afterwards.

dry afterwards

● Do some cleaning

Occasional vacuuming, sweeping and wiping down the seats and backrests will help to keep your sauna in good condition. If your sauna isn’t used often, it’s best to do some cleaning before using it again.

Check the roof, walls and seats for mould growth and treat any affected areas as soon as possible. It’s especially important to check in dark corners like under the seats.

You can prevent such problems by drying the sauna properly after use. Make sure not to use any disinfectants in the sauna since some of them can be harmful to your health. There are special cleaning solutions available made especially to clean a sauna. If you can, get some of those.

● Take some precautions

If you want your sauna to look new for longer, it’s a good idea to take some precautions while using it. It's good practice to wash your feet before entering and use a towel to sit on.

Bodily perspiration means your sauna is working properly, but it can also damage the seat and backrest. If you don’t want the wood to become discoloured over time, make sure to use a towel as a barrier.

Wipe down the seats and floor as soon as you're done using the sauna and allow the room to dry before closing up.

sauna

● Avoid using hard water

If you live in an area where the water is naturally hard, you might want to consider buying water for your sauna. Hard water makes cleaning your sauna much more difficult since it creates a lime buildup on the rocks and wet surfaces.

Lime buildup can be very difficult to get rid of and looks terrible if left untreated. If you didn’t know about this, sand down any areas that are affected, treat the wood with preservatives again and use vinegar to clean the rocks. In future, make sure to not use hard water in your sauna to avoid this experience again.

Lime

● Maintain the moving parts of your sauna

Due to everything in a sauna generally being made from wood, you might experience some problems with the doors and vents. Moisture causes wood to swell which means you might start struggling to close the door properly. This is especially true if the door hasn’t been treated against moisture.

The best way to solve this problem is by sanding down the part that’s getting stuck. This will remove the excess material and allow the door to close properly. The same goes for the vents.

Vents are used to regulate the amount of fresh air, humidity and heat in the sauna. If they swell, you might struggle to open and close them to do just that. This problem can also easily be solved by sanding down excess material or even just tightening any screw that might have come loose

● Heaters

Caring for the heating element of a sauna is fairly simple. Make sure you rinse the rocks before you pack them into the heater to remove any small particles that may become a problem. The heater shouldn't need any maintenance for at least 10 years if cared for properly.

If you’re having problems, let the heater cool down and press the reset button. If that still doesn't work, contact the supplier of your sauna for more information. If you’re working in the sauna and doing anything that causes dust, make sure to cover the heating element and rocks with a cloth to prevent dust particles from getting in.

Heaters

● Clean up after you’re done

While using your sauna, make sure not to put water anywhere except for in the provided heating element. Also, don’t wear wet clothes in the sauna. Not keeping to the rules will result in the wood getting damaged which means more cleanup duty for you.

Once you’re done using the sauna, make sure to clean up immediately after. This means wiping the excess moisture from the benches, walls and floor and opening all the vents and the door to let everything dry.

Don’t try to dry clothes or towels in the sauna since the excess moisture will cause the whole structure to take longer to dry properly. This can lead to mould problems in the future if you’re not careful.

Sauna Tips And Tricks

Saunas are made from thermally treated materials. These materials, especially the wood, has a particular smell. Some people love the smell, while others despise it. If you find the smell offending, don’t be discouraged, there are ways to get the scent to fade faster.

The scent will, of course, slowly fade over time, but to speed up the process, turn on the heat while leaving the vents of the sauna open. Do this for extended periods of time every day to eradicate the scent faster.

You will also need to treat the wood with suitable wood oil or maintenance products. These products will also help to replace the scent a bit faster. Make sure you like the scent of the replacement product since you get quite a few brands.

If you’re worried about mould, make sure to maintain the walls of your sauna with special sauna safe products. These products create water and dustproof layers on the wood that will prevent moisture damage to the structure. Some products also contain mould resistant additives which will prevent mould growth along with your usual drying techniques.

blog outdoor

FAQs

Should I oil my sauna?

Yes, for proper outdoor sauna care, you will need to oil your sauna once in a while. The oil will seal the wood and prevent moisture damage. In some cases, the oil can also prevent mould growth in your sauna.

How often should a sauna be cleaned?

Once a month or after every use. If your sauna is used often, it’s best to clean it after every use. This entails wiping down the surfaces to remove extra moisture and sweeping the floor to remove any dirt.

You can do a deep clean once a month. If the sauna is only used once in a while, you can get away with cleaning less frequently. Keep in mind that clean saunas have more benefits and a longer lifespan than dirty ones.

Is it expensive to maintain a sauna?

No, most people won’t even know a sauna was added if they only look at their bills. After installation, the most you’ll need to do is make sure the wood stays treated and that the whole structure is clean. If used correctly you shouldn’t have any major bills anytime soon.

Do saunas get mould?

Unfortunately, yes. Saunas are wet warm areas perfect for mould to grow in. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent this problem. You can use mould resistant solutions to treat the inside of the sauna, and you can lessen the moisture by wiping down the surfaces after every use. Also, make sure to leave the vents and door open until the sauna is completely dry.

How do you prevent mould in a sauna?

Preventing mould in a sauna is fairly simple.

 

● Don’t paint, stain or varnish the inside of the sauna with anything not approved for sauna use.

● Make sure to clean up after you use your sauna. This means drying the walls and benches and wiping any dirt from the floor.

● Leave the door open after use. This allows moisture to escape, lessening the chances of mould growth.

● Treat any suspicious area immediately. You can do this by using a mild detergent that kills mould or even scrubbing the area with bleach. If you’re not keen on the smell, add some essential oils to the mixture.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know a bit more about sauna care, it’s time to get one of your own. Simply visit our website or contact us directly for our sauna options. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment. Enjoy your sauna!