The wood, the heater, the rocks, the ventilation — exactly what to do after every session, every week, and every season. Written by the techs who service traditional and infrared saunas across Southern California.
Get these right and your sauna stays hygienic, smells like cedar, and lasts 20+ years. Skip them and you get warped wood, mildew, and heater failures.
The #1 rule. After every session, prop the door open and open the vents so moisture escapes. Wood that never dries warps, darkens, and grows mildew. This one habit prevents most sauna problems.
Sauna wood is unsealed so it can breathe and absorb sweat. Clean it with a damp cloth and mild, unscented cleaner — never a hose, never harsh chemicals that soak in and off-gas when heated.
Traditional: rinse and re-stack the rocks yearly, replace crumbling ones, keep the heater clear. Infrared: keep panels and heaters dust-free and check the controller. Heat problems are the ones to call a pro on.
Both are "saunas," but they heat differently and wear differently. Know which you own.
Home sauna in normal use. Commercial saunas (gyms, studios, spas) need weekly professional cleaning and documented hygiene logs.
| How often | What to do |
|---|---|
| After every use | Wipe the bench you used, mop up any standing water, prop the door and open vents to dry. |
| Weekly | Wipe all benches, backrests, walls you touch, and the floor. Vacuum debris. Check the door closes and seals. |
| Monthly | Traditional: inspect heater + rocks. Infrared: wipe panels, check heaters and controller. Both: check vents are clear and lighting works. |
| Quarterly / seasonally | Full deep clean and sanitize. Sand out any stains. Traditional: rinse and re-stack rocks, replace crumbling ones. |
| Yearly | Professional service: heater and electrical check, hardware and glass inspection, rock replacement, deep hygiene clean, and moisture/ventilation check. |
Some things aren't a wipe-down. Call a tech if you see any of these:
No. Sauna wood is unsealed and absorbs whatever you put on it, then releases it as fumes when heated. Skip bleach, ammonia, and strong vinegar. Use warm water with a small amount of mild, unscented or sauna-specific cleaner, or a diluted food-safe sanitizer for hygiene, then wipe with clean water and dry.
Almost always because it isn't drying out between uses. Prop the door and open the vents after every session. If mildew has already started, sand the spots lightly along the grain, wipe with a diluted sanitizer, and dry fully. Persistent odor usually points to a ventilation, seal, or drainage issue worth having checked.
Never seal, varnish, oil, or paint the interior wood — coatings blister and off-gas at sauna temperatures. Bare wood is correct. You can lightly sand to refresh the surface. (Exterior finishes are a separate question and depend on the manufacturer.)
A well-maintained sauna lasts 20+ years. The wood outlives everything — it's the heater, controller, rocks, and seals that wear. Drying out after use, wiping regularly, and an annual professional check are what get you there.
Yes. The Cold Standard services traditional (Finnish) and infrared saunas — cleaning and wood care, heater and electrical service, rock replacement, hygiene deep cleans, and repairs — for homes, gyms, studios, and spas across Southern California.
Book a sauna deep clean, tune-up, or repair — or a recurring plan so you never think about it.
Same-day response. Serving San Diego, Orange County, the Inland Empire & LA.
The Cold Standard is Southern California's dedicated cold plunge and sauna service company. Certified, insured, documented service for homes and commercial facilities.
See sauna service & pricing → Call (619) 289-9282This guide is general maintenance information for typical residential saunas. Always follow your manufacturer's care instructions, and never attempt heater or electrical repairs yourself.