Ladle pouring water onto hot sauna stones to make löyly steam

Sauna Etiquette: Rules to Know, and Whether to Shower Before or After

Sauna etiquette comes down to a few habits: shower before you go in, sit on a towel, ask before you throw water on the stones, keep your voice down, and leave your phone outside. Do that and you will fit in at a Finnish public sauna, a gym in Ohio or a friend's backyard barrel.

This guide covers the rules most saunas share, the question of whether to shower before or after a sauna, and how to host guests in your own sauna. For timing, see how long to stay in a sauna.

Sauna etiquette: the core rules

  1. Read the venue's rules. Levi notes that a sauna will often tell you how to act or dress there.
  2. Shower before you go in.
  3. Sit on a towel or seat cover.
  4. Wait a moment after you enter, then ask before throwing löyly.
  5. Keep conversation low, or follow the room if it is quiet.
  6. No phones, no photos.
  7. Keep food and drinks outside the hot room.
  8. Refill the bucket if you empty it.
  9. Leave when you have had enough. It is not a contest.
  10. Rinse off before a pool, plunge or lake.

Should you shower before or after a sauna?

Both. Every source we checked says to shower before. The finland.fi guide calls it polite, MyHelsinki lists it as a rule, and Levi says to wash by showering or taking a dip before you enter. Finnmark Sauna calls showering first one of the most universally agreed-upon sauna rules, and gives the reasons: it keeps the room clean, protects the wood and removes chlorine if you have been swimming.

After the sauna, rinse off the sweat. Finnmark Sauna suggests a rinse, optionally a cool one. In Finland, the finland.fi guide notes, the proper wash with soap and shampoo usually comes near the end of the sauna, after the last round.

When What to do Why
Before the first round Quick shower, dry off Keeps the room and benches clean, removes pool chlorine
Between rounds Cool shower, a dip or fresh air Cooling off before the next round
After the last round Full wash with soap and shampoo The traditional end of a Finnish sauna
Before a pool or cold plunge Rinse off sweat Keeps shared water clean

On cooling off, MyHelsinki suggests a cold shower or a dip in the sea. The finland.fi guide also says people with heart complaints or high blood pressure should avoid swimming in cold water after leaving the hot room. If that is you, talk to your doctor first. Our guide to cold plunging after a sauna has more.

Sit on a towel

The finland.fi guide says to place a small towel on the bench to sit on, both for hygiene and because the bench may feel rather hot. Finnmark Sauna says to always sit on a towel or seat cover to protect the benches and absorb sweat. Some public saunas offer disposable seat covers, and MyHelsinki suggests bringing your own reusable linen one.

Löyly etiquette: throwing water on the stones

Löyly is the steam that rises when you throw water on hot stones. It makes the room feel much hotter, so in a shared sauna it is a group decision.

  • Wait first. Levi says to wait a moment after you enter before adding water.
  • Ask. MyHelsinki calls it courteous to ask others before you create more löyly. Finnmark Sauna and Levi say the same.
  • Take turns. Levi suggests taking turns so everyone can regulate the heat.
  • Go easy. Finnmark Sauna advises small amounts with a pause between ladles. Do not flood the heater.
  • Refill the bucket. If you use the last of the water, fill it for the next person.
  • Scents need a yes too. If you add essential oil, mix a few drops into the bucket water. Never put oil directly on the stones.

Only throw water on a heater built for it. Infrared saunas and many gym rooms have no stones, and water does not belong on their heaters.

Talking and quiet

You can talk in a sauna, but keep it low. MyHelsinki says silence and conversation are both fine, as long as you do not speak ill, yell or behave disruptively. Finnmark Sauna says to keep conversation at a low volume and follow the lead of others if they are silent. Levi adds that religion, work, business and politics do not belong in the public sauna.

Phones, photos, food and drink

Leave your phone in the locker. Finnmark Sauna points out that heat can damage it, screens disturb the atmosphere, and taking photos in a shared sauna is a serious breach of privacy. MyHelsinki agrees that food and mobile phones do not belong in the sauna.

Drink water, but outside the hot room. Levi says to enjoy drinks and snacks outside the steam room and look after your fluid balance. MyHelsinki suggests a few glasses for each sauna session of 30 minutes or so. The finland.fi guide advises against heavy meals and alcohol before a sauna.

How hot and how long

The finland.fi guide quotes the Finnish Sauna Society's recommendation of 80 to 100°C (176 to 212°F), and notes some people are happy at 70°C (158°F). It also calls competing to see who can take the most heat "both silly and unhealthy." Finnmark Sauna says beginners should start with sessions of around 5 to 10 minutes, while experienced bathers typically stay around 15 to 20 minutes, and that you should step out if you feel lightheaded, dizzy or uncomfortable.

A wall thermometer and a sand timer take the guesswork out of both. See our sauna timers and thermometers.

Gym sauna etiquette

Gym saunas follow the same rules, with a few extras because they are busy:

  • Read the posted rules on dress, time limits and water on the heater.
  • Shower after your workout and before the sauna, and change out of training clothes.
  • Bring a towel to sit on, and take it with you when you leave.
  • Ask before adding water, and only if the heater has stones and the gym allows it.
  • Keep calls, music and loud chat out of the room.

Hosting in your own sauna

At home, you set the rules, but guests may not know them. A few things make a first sauna easier:

  • Tell guests what to wear, and have spare towels ready.
  • Explain löyly and let them say when it is too hot.
  • Keep the bucket full. A 5 L bucket and ladle cuts down on refills.
  • Put a thermometer and a sand timer where everyone can see them.
  • Have a spare sauna hat, water outside the door and a place to cool off.

You will find buckets, ladles, backrests and scents in sauna accessories.

FAQ

Do you shower before or after a sauna?

Both. Shower before to keep the room clean and remove chlorine, then rinse off after. In the Finnish tradition, the full wash with soap comes near the end.

Is it rude to pour water on the sauna stones?

Not if you ask first. In a shared sauna, wait a moment after you enter, ask the others, and add small amounts.

Can you talk in a sauna?

Yes, quietly. If the room is silent, follow that lead. Levi suggests leaving religion, work, business and politics out of public sauna talk.

Do you have to be naked in a sauna?

No. It is traditional in Finland, but mixed public saunas and most gyms expect a swimsuit or towel. See our guide to what to wear in a sauna.

Can I bring my phone into a sauna?

It is best not to. Heat can damage it, and photos in a shared sauna are a privacy breach.

Sources

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