Sauna care

So that your Sauna remains beautiful and hygienically clean at home for years, you should pay special attention to care. The heat and humidity put a lot of stress on the wood and metal parts are also affected.

Sauna hygiene: Maintain the interior

After each sauna session, the first thing to do is to ventilate well so that the warm and humid air is drawn out of the sauna. In general, only close windows and doors if it is really necessary when heating the sauna and the sauna sessions themselves. If the sauna is not in operation, ensure good air circulation with an open door and you avoid spreading fungi such as mold and germs.

This is what you need to clean your sauna:

• Wipes, lint-free
• Lubricating oil for hinges and other metal parts
• Cleaner for sauna wood
• Disinfectant spray

Every few weeks, wipe the benches with a cotton cloth, water and a special cleaner with a damp cloth. Especially in the warm climate, bacteria and fungi can otherwise multiply well. The lying surfaces can even be removed from the holder for cleaning. In the case of stubborn stains on the wood, the only thing that usually helps is to carefully remove them with fine sandpaper. If resin leaks from the wood, it can be easily removed with an acetone-soaked cloth.
In addition, the Heater wiped clean after each use. Stubborn limescale stains caused by infusions and discoloration around the stove can be removed with a brush and a lye made of water and citric acid or vinegar. Let the mixture soak in for a while, then wipe it with clear water. If dust has been deposited in corners and cracks, the fastest way to tackle it is with a vacuum cleaner. Clean the floor with a tamper-free cloth and clear water.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Do not clean the sauna until it has cooled down completely. Brush from top to bottom: You start with the Sauna loungers , clean the oven and then the floor.
• Keep your hands off chemical cleaners when caring for the sauna. These can damage the wood, which in turn provides an optimal breeding ground for bacteria and germs.  In addition, chemical cleaning agents can release harmful substances during sauna operation. It is best to use odorless cleaners, because fragrances are greatly intensified by the heat. Oil-based care products are also taboo. At high temperatures, these evaporate and make the sauna wood slippery and hot.
• Pressure washers are practical, but they are suitable NOT to the Sauna care ! The high water pressure attacks the fibres of the wood and makes it dry and cracked. You will also damage the wood if you use too much water when cleaning. Wipe only with a damp cloth and avoid puddles of water.
• Don't forget to disinfect doormats and beach sandals from time to time. Fungi and germs can also settle there.

Check screws, hinges and other metal parts

Wood works with temperature fluctuations: it expands when it is warm and contracts again when it is cold. In addition, screws can also come loose quickly due to temperature. Not least because of the risk of injury, regularly check whether the screws are still tight and tighten them if necessary. Due to the moisture, metal parts rust very quickly. Therefore, care for hinges, locks and other metal parts with a little lubricating oil.

Beeswax or wood glaze: protective coating for the sauna from the outside

Optionally, you can treat all external parts of your natural sauna, i.e. walls, doors, planks, ledges and slats, with beeswax. The inner walls of the sauna do not need to be treated.

Tip for future outdoor sauna owners:

Outdoor saunas must be protected particularly thoroughly from the weather, insects, fungi, blue stain and mechanical influences. You can therefore treat the natural models with a glaze or open-pore varnish. The Karibu outdoor sauna, Cuben model in terra grey. This is not available in its natural state, but already sealed at the factory: The paint is already applied during the production of the kit, then the wood is made particularly resistant with the help of a modern UV drying process. The uniform application of paint is not only a visual highlight, but also makes all treated components

• water-repellent
• Maximum UV protection
• open-pored
• Moisture-regulating
• lightfast

An elaborate care of the external components of your Outdoor sauna is therefore omitted in the first few years.