Sauna etiquette: a first-timer’s guide to UK saunas

Public saunas have taken off across the UK, from floating saunas on harbours to wood-fired cabins on the beach and Nordic-style clubs in city centres. If you’ve never been to one, the unwritten rules can feel a bit mysterious. They aren’t complicated, and most come down to hygiene and consideration for the people sitting next to you.

Before you go

Most UK sauna venues work on booked sessions, often 60 to 90 minutes long, so book ahead rather than turning up. Check whether the session is mixed, single-sex or private, and whether swimwear is required. In the UK it almost always is, but some venues run naturist or textile-free sessions, and they’ll say so clearly.

Pack:

• Swimwear, plus a dry change of clothes
• Two towels: one to sit on in the sauna and one to dry off with
• Sliders or flip-flops for walking between the sauna, showers and any cold plunge
• A refillable water bottle
• A dressing gown or warm layer if the venue is outdoors

Take off jewellery and watches before you go in. Metal heats up quickly and can burn. Leave your phone in the changing room too, as the heat can damage it and many venues don’t allow them in the sauna for privacy reasons.

Shower first

Rinse off before your first round and between rounds. It keeps the benches clean and is expected nearly everywhere. Skip perfume, body lotion and heavy hair products on the day.

Sit on a towel

This is the one rule every venue shares. Sit or lie on a towel so that no bare skin, and no sweat, touches the wooden benches. Lay it out so your feet are on it too if you’re lying down.

Inside the sauna

• Go in and out quickly. Keep the door closed as much as possible so the heat doesn’t escape.
• Choose your height. Heat rises, so the top bench is the hottest. Start low and move up if you’re comfortable.
• Keep the volume down. Quiet conversation is usually fine, but many people come to switch off. Some venues have silent sessions or quiet saunas.
• Ask before adding water to the stones. Pouring water on the stones, known as löyly in Finnish, sends a wave of steam and heat around the room. Check with others first, and don’t touch the stove at staffed sessions where a sauna master is in charge.
• Don’t shave, trim or scrub in the sauna itself. Save it for the showers.

How long to stay in

There’s no target to hit. For a first visit, 5 to 10 minutes per round is plenty, and many regulars stay no longer than 15. Leave whenever you feel too hot, dizzy or unwell. Nobody will think twice about it.

Between rounds, cool down with a shower, a cold plunge or just fresh air, then rest for a while before going back in. Two or three rounds is a typical session. If you want to try the cold too, our guide to contrast therapy covers how to build up to it.

Aufguss sessions

Some UK venues run aufguss, a German sauna ritual where a sauna master pours scented water on the stones and wafts the hot air around the room with a towel, often to music. The heat builds quickly, so sit lower if you’re new. It’s fine to leave during a session, but try to do it between rounds of wafting, and keep the door open as briefly as possible.

Drink water, skip the alcohol

You lose a lot of fluid through sweat. Drink water before, during and after your session. Avoid alcohol beforehand: combined with heat, it raises the risk of fainting and dehydration.

Is it safe for me?

Saunas are fine for most healthy adults, but speak to your GP first if you have a heart condition, high or low blood pressure, are pregnant, or take medication that affects your heart or circulation. Most venues set a minimum age for children and ask that they’re supervised.

Find a sauna near you

Ready to try it? Browse saunas across the UK by county and town, with ratings and links to book.