Caring and maintaining a sauna is less costly compared to caring for hot tubs or pools. Saunas require few repairs and maintenance. When you decide to add a sauna to your home, it’s best to keep your sauna in great condition. Because of this, it is essential to learn how to care and maintain it properly. Occasional vacuuming of the floors, sweeping and wiping benches and backrests will keep your sauna in good condition.
Foot Washing
Before entering your sauna, ensure that you rinse your feet in a shower or a bucket of water placed near the entrance. Failure to clean your feet can bring debris and soil into your sauna. Cleaning your feet means less clean up later since you reduce the dirt on the floor, benches, and duckboards.
Curing
It is essential to cure your sauna, especially when using it for the first time. Adjust your sauna’s temperature to high for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the type. Infrared saunas may take longer than a steam sauna. After they are ready, pour one liter of water over the stones to clean them.
Towels and Rugs
Sweating means that your sauna is working efficiently. However, it can cause discoloration and stain from perspired body oils. To minimize the contact between sweat and the benches and backrests, use rugs and towels on the floor and duckboards. Using a towel to wrap your lower half will make a significant difference to your sauna. Rugs on the floor also help to clean your feet before proceeding to the lower benches.
Avoid Using Hard Water
Hard water contains magnesium and calcium salts. If you use a steam sauna, avoid using hard water. Once the steam cools, these magnesium and calcium salts precipitate, forming a lime buildup that is hard to clean. The aesthetic value of your sauna is lost and you will be forced to spend more to clean and maintain it. For damages caused by hard water, use sanding discs to scrub the affected areas and cleanse with water or a mild cleaning solution.
Maintaining Sauna Doors and Vents
The moving parts of a sauna, such as vents and doors, may occasionally require sanding and adjustments. Check for loose hinge screws and fix or replace them with longer screws. If the door doesn’t close, identify the higher spots on the door and mark them with a pencil. Sanding can remove the extra material on the door. If the door closes but doesn’t stay closed, try adjusting the ketch or add a piece of cardboard between the jam and the hinge.
Vents are used to regulate the amount of heat, humidity, and fresh air inside the sauna. Since they are made of wood, they can change from time to time. Occasionally, one should loosen the screws fastening the vent frame to the wall or remove the vent to inspect it and sand off its edges. Sanding the corners of the slider slightly will help reduce the drag when operating.
Wood Maintenance
With time, moisture, sunlight, and air will change the appearance of the wood. Note that applying wood protectant or sealant in a sauna is not recommended. A sanding disc, however, is recommended for restoring the original outlook of the wood surface. When sanding, ensure that you cover the sauna heater with plastic materials to keep fine dust off the rocks. After sanding, vacuum all the surfaces and wipe sauna backrests and benches with a damp towel.
Solar Heater and Rocks
Although solar heaters and rocks may take up to ten years without any care or maintenance requirement, it is essential to have some ideas on how to handle them. Whether installing sauna rocks for the first time, or replacing them, they should be rinsed to remove small particles before placing them around and between the heating elements. If the electric heater stops working, let it cool down and push the inbuilt reset button. At any point in time, if you continue to have problems, contact Great Bay Spas for support.
After Use Care
After you have finished using the sauna, be sure to eliminate excess moisture. Wipe the benches and leave the door open to dry completely.
You don’t need to be fanatical when caring and maintaining your sauna. Saunas have several health benefits including relaxing muscles, reducing muscle and joint pains, boosting immunity, stimulating circulation, and detoxifying your skin among other benefits. Therefore, caring for your sauna will not only reduce the costs of operation but also guarantee you a healthy lifestyle.
