How to use your sauna safely

1. Before you start

• Drink a glass or two of water and eat something light. Don’t sauna on a completely empty or very full stomach.
• Take off jewelry and watches. Metal gets hot.
• Keep a hose or a few jugs of water nearby, for drinking and for the stones.
• Check the area around the trailer: no kids’ toys, chairs or anything flammable near the stove or chimney, and clear footing on the steps.

2. Heating the sauna

• At drop-off we show you how to light and feed the stove. Ours reaches about 180–200°F in roughly 45 minutes. Cold or windy weather and the type of wood can change that.
• Use only dry, untreated firewood no longer than 13 inches and no wider than 5 inches. Never burn treated, painted or pallet wood, trash or cardboard, and never use lighter fluid or gasoline.
• Add a few pieces at a time rather than packing the firebox. Keep the stove door closed while the fire burns.
• Watch the thermometer on the wall. Air near the ceiling is much hotter than near the floor, so the lower bench is the gentler seat.

3. A good sauna round

• First round: 5–10 minutes. Sit on a towel and breathe slowly.
• Later rounds: work up to 10–15 minutes. Twenty minutes is a sensible upper limit for one round at these temperatures.
• Cool down: 5–10 minutes outside, in the plunge, or under the shower. Drink water.
• Repeat: two or three rounds is plenty for most people. Stand up slowly when you leave the bench.

Löyly: steam from the stones

Ladle a little clean water onto the hot stones to send a wave of steam through the room. Go slowly, one ladle at a time, and let everyone know before you pour. If you’re using the essential oils we provide, add a few drops to the water in the bucket, never directly onto the stove.

4. The cold plunge

• Step in slowly. The first few seconds bring a gasp; keep your head above water and breathe slowly through it.
• New to cold water? Start with 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Experienced plungers often stay 2–5 minutes.
• Never plunge alone, and never after drinking.
• Lifting weights for muscle? Research suggests going straight into cold water after strength training may blunt some of the muscle gains. Use the sauna instead, or wait a few hours to plunge.
• If you have heart disease, an arrhythmia, uncontrolled blood pressure, Raynaud’s or a cold allergy, skip the plunge unless your doctor says it’s fine.

5. Who should check with a doctor first

Sauna is well tolerated by most healthy adults, but talk to your doctor before using it if you:

• have heart disease, a recent heart attack, chest pain, or a heart-valve condition;
• have high or low blood pressure, or take medication for your heart or blood pressure (stand up slowly, since these can make you lightheaded);
• have diabetes or another chronic condition;
• are pregnant (please don’t use the sauna without your provider’s OK);
• are trying to conceive (heat can temporarily affect sperm production).

6. Kids and pets

As a house rule, children under 12 may not use the sauna. Teens 12–17 may use it with a parent present, on the lower bench and for shorter rounds. Keep children and pets away from the stove and chimney at all times.

7. Fire safety and shutting down

• An adult must stay on site whenever the fire is burning.
• When you’re done, stop adding wood and let the fire burn out on its own with the stove door closed. Don’t throw water into the firebox.
• Leave the ashes in the stove; we clean it at pickup.
• Never cover the chimney, block the vents, or put anything on the stove.
• Smoke inside the sauna, sparks outside the chimney, or a damaged chimney: put people out first, stop adding wood, and call or text us right away at (419) 575-8211.

8. Know when to get out

Leave the sauna and cool down if you feel dizzy, lightheaded, nauseous, short of breath, or get a headache. Sit or lie down somewhere cool and sip water. If someone faints, has chest pain, or is confused, call 911.

9. Winter and wet weather

• Steps and the ground around the trailer get slick. Wear the flip-flops we provide and step carefully, especially going between hot and cold.
• The sauna takes a bit longer to heat on cold, windy days. Start the fire earlier.

This guide is general safety information and is not medical advice. Using the sauna means you agree to our rental agreement and waiver. Curious about the research? Read sauna health benefits.

Print this guide Book your sauna