How to Clean an Infrared Sauna: Wood, Glass and Heaters
How do you clean an infrared sauna?
Quick answer: Wipe the bench, backrest and floor after every session and leave the door open so the wood dries. Every week or two, wipe the wood with a cloth dampened with water or a cleaner made for sauna wood. Vacuum the floor monthly. Never use bleach or ammonia, and keep all liquids off the heaters.
Key takeaways
- After every session: wipe off sweat and leave the door open for at least 10 to 15 minutes, until the wood is dry.
- Every week or two: wipe the bench, backrest and walls with a damp cloth.
- Monthly: vacuum the floor, and dust the heater guards if they need it.
- Use a cloth that is damp, not wet, and put cleaner on the cloth, never straight onto the wood or the heaters.
- No bleach, ammonia or abrasive pads. No paint, varnish or lacquer on the inside.
- Sweat stains come out with light sanding, using fine-grit sandpaper along the grain.
- Check your manual first. Some makers allow water only.
An infrared sauna is a dry room, so it needs far less cleaning than a steam room or a shower. Most of the work is keeping sweat off bare wood and letting the cabin dry out. This guide covers the routine, what to clean with, and how to handle the heaters, the glass and stains.
How often should you clean an infrared sauna?
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| After every session | Wipe the bench, backrest and floor. Take towels out. Leave the door open for at least 10 to 15 minutes. |
| Every week or two | Wipe all the wood you touch with a damp cloth. Clean the glass. |
| Monthly | Vacuum the floor and corners. Dust the heater guards if you see dust on them. |
| When needed | Sand out sweat stains. Tighten loose handles or hinges. |
A cabin used every day by several people needs the weekly wipe more often. One used twice a week can stretch it.
How to clean an infrared sauna after each use
Two minutes, while you cool down.
- Wipe the sweat off. Run a dry towel or a lightly damp cloth over the bench, the backrest and the floor where your feet were.
- Take the towels out. A damp towel left on the bench keeps the wood wet.
- Leave the door open for at least 10 to 15 minutes, or until the wood is dry.
The easiest cleaning is the sweat that never reaches the wood. Sit on a towel, and put a second one under your feet unless your manual says not to cover the floor heater. Some manuals do.
What to clean infrared sauna wood with
Start with your manual, because makers do not agree.
- Water only. Some makers allow nothing but a soft cloth dampened with water, and say cleaning chemicals can soak into the wood.
- A cleaner made for sauna wood. Other makers sell or recommend one for the benches, backrests and walls.
- Mild soap or diluted white vinegar. Some guides suggest a little mild soap in warm water, or one part white vinegar to four parts water, used sparingly.
Using something your manual rules out can affect the warranty. Whichever you use, the method is the same:
- Switch the sauna off, unplug it and let it cool.
- Dampen the cloth, not the wood. Wring it out well. Do not spray inside the cabin, where mist lands on the heaters.
- Wipe along the grain. Go over the bench, the backrest and the walls at shoulder height, where skin touches.
- Finish and dry. If you used a cleaner, go over skin-contact wood once more with a cloth dampened with water. Then wipe dry and leave the door open until the wood is dry.
- Heat the cabin only once it is dry.
What not to use in an infrared sauna
- Bleach and ammonia. They are harsh on bare wood, and the cabin is a small closed room that gets hot.
- Abrasive pads and scouring powders. They scratch soft sauna wood.
- Soaking or hosing. The wood is unsealed and the walls hold electrical heaters.
- Paint, varnish or lacquer on the inside. Makers warn against them, and some say they void the warranty.
- Any liquid on the heaters. Never spray or pour anything onto a heater panel.
How to clean infrared sauna heaters
Dust them, dry. The heaters need the least cleaning of anything in the cabin.
- Switch off, unplug and let the cabin cool completely.
- Dust the guards and the panel face with a soft dry cloth, a lint roller, or a vacuum with a brush attachment.
- If the panels sit behind wood slat guards, run the brush along the slats and the gaps between them.
- Keep liquids away. If a mark will not dust off, use a barely damp cloth only if your manual allows it, and dry it straight away.
- Fabric or felt heater faces stay dry. Use only a lint roller or the vacuum brush on them.
Dust them when you see dust building up, which is sooner in a home with pets. A heater that stays cold when the cabin is on is a job for the maker, not for cleaning.
The control panel gets the same treatment: a dry or barely damp cloth, and never a spray.
How to clean infrared sauna glass
Spray the cleaner onto the cloth, away from the cabin, then wipe.
- Outside face: ordinary glass cleaner on a cloth.
- Inside face: a cloth dampened with water is enough, and some makers ask for water only inside. If you use glass cleaner, put it on the cloth outside the cabin so no spray reaches the wood or heaters.
- Clean glass when it is cool.
How to clean an infrared sauna floor
Vacuum first, then wipe.
- Monthly: vacuum the floor, the corners and under the bench with a brush attachment.
- Then wipe with a well-wrung damp cloth. Do not flood the floor.
- A removable mat or a towel makes the floor much easier to keep clean, as long as your manual allows one over the floor heater. Lift it out now and then so the floor underneath dries.
How to remove sweat stains from sauna wood
A cleaner handles fresh marks. Stains that have set into the wood need light sanding. Light staining where your back and legs touch the wood is normal on unsealed wood.
- Let the wood dry completely.
- Sand lightly along the grain with fine-grit sandpaper, around 150 to 220 grit, until the mark fades.
- Vacuum or wipe off the dust.
Sand only when you need to. Each pass takes a little wood with it.
How to stop an infrared sauna from smelling
Keep it dry. A musty smell means moisture is staying in the cabin.
- Air it out after every session, with the door open.
- Seeing mold? The cabin is staying damp. Dry it out, fix the damp in the room, and ask the maker before you treat the wood.
- Do not leave damp towels inside.
- Wipe skin-contact wood more often if the smell is sweat.
- Check the room. In a damp basement or bathroom, run a dehumidifier near the cabin.
- Skip air fresheners. They cover a smell without fixing the damp behind it.
Should you oil or seal infrared sauna wood?
Do not paint, varnish or lacquer the inside. Those coatings seal the wood, and makers warn against them.
Sauna wood oils and conditioners are a separate question, and makers differ. Some sell or recommend one for the benches. Others say not to treat the interior wood at all. Use one only if your cabin's manual allows it, and use one made for sauna wood.
Ready to use on benches, backrests and walls. Fragrance-free and dye-free. Spray it onto the cloth and keep it off the heaters.
What we use, and why
Our own sauna is a traditional Finnish one, and far infrared saunas are next in our range. The wood care is the same in both: keep sweat off the wood, keep it dry, and clean it gently.
We make a Sauna Cleaner Spray for sauna wood: benches, backrests and walls. It is ready to use, fragrance-free and dye-free, and it is a cleaner, not a disinfectant. The label says to spray the wood lightly and wipe. In an infrared cabin, where heater panels line the walls, spray the cloth instead, keep it off the heater panels and the control panel, and finish skin-contact wood with a damp cloth. Spot test first, and check that your cabin's manual allows a cleaner.
Frequently asked questions
How do you clean an infrared sauna?
Wipe the bench, backrest and floor after each session and leave the door open so the wood dries. Every week or two, wipe the wood with a damp cloth. Vacuum the floor monthly, dust the heater guards, and never spray liquid on the heaters.
How often should you clean an infrared sauna?
Wipe off sweat after every session. Give the wood a proper wipe with a damp cloth every week or two, and vacuum the floor and dust the heaters about once a month. Heavy daily use by several people calls for the weekly wipe more often.
What can I use to clean my infrared sauna?
Check your manual first. Some makers allow only a cloth dampened with water. Others recommend a cleaner made for sauna wood. Mild soap in warm water is another common option. Avoid bleach, ammonia and abrasive pads on any interior surface.
Can you use vinegar to clean an infrared sauna?
Some guides suggest diluted white vinegar, about one part vinegar to four parts water, on a well-wrung cloth. Use it sparingly, since some sauna makers allow only water. Check your manual first, and keep the solution off the heaters.
Can you use bleach or disinfectant wipes in an infrared sauna?
No. Bleach, ammonia and harsh disinfectants are too strong for bare sauna wood, and the residue stays in a small room that gets hot. Use a damp cloth, or a cleaner made for sauna wood if your manual allows one.
How do you clean infrared sauna heater panels?
Switch the sauna off, unplug it and let it cool completely. Dust the guards and the panel face with a soft dry cloth, a lint roller, or a vacuum brush attachment. Never spray or pour liquid on a heater, and do not use chemical cleaners on it.
How do you get sweat stains out of sauna wood?
Fresh marks wipe off with a damp cloth or a sauna wood cleaner. Set-in stains need sanding: let the wood dry, then sand lightly along the grain with fine-grit sandpaper, around 150 to 220 grit. Sit on a towel to prevent new ones.
How do you clean the glass door of an infrared sauna?
Spray glass cleaner onto a cloth away from the cabin, then wipe the outside face. Inside, a cloth dampened with water is usually enough, and some makers ask for water only. Clean the glass when it is cool, not hot.
Why does my infrared sauna smell musty?
Moisture is staying in the cabin. Leave the door open after each session until the wood is dry, take damp towels out, and wipe the wood that touches skin. If the room itself is damp, run a dehumidifier near the sauna.
Should I leave my infrared sauna door open after use?
Yes. Leave it open for at least 10 to 15 minutes after each session, until the bench and floor are dry. Dry wood stains less and does not turn musty. Close it afterward, and keep an outdoor sauna closed when not in use.
Can you seal or varnish the inside of an infrared sauna?
No. Do not paint, varnish or lacquer the interior, and some makers say it voids the warranty. Sauna wood oils are a separate question that makers disagree on, so use one only if your manual allows it.
Do you need to sanitize an infrared sauna?
For a home sauna used by your own household, regular wiping and drying is the routine makers describe, and sitting on a clean towel keeps most of the sweat off the wood. Sauna wood cleaners remove sweat and grime. They are not disinfectants. For a shared or commercial sauna, follow the maker's guidance.