After every session
- Wipe the benches and leave the door open so the wood dries.
- Sit on a towel; it keeps sweat off the benches.
Weekly, with regular use
- Wipe interior surfaces.
- Check the door seals.
Every 1 to 2 weeks (outdoor saunas)
- Clear leaves and debris around the base and check that water drains away.
Every 6 to 12 months
- Treat the interior benches and walls with sauna paraffin oil.
Every year
- Treat the exterior wood, inspect the roof shingles, and check fixings and tensioning bands on barrel saunas.
- Wood-burning stoves: clean the chimney and flue.
The heater
- Check and rearrange the stones every 50 to 100 hours of use, replacing any that are cracked or crumbling. Stones should surround the elements fully; HUUM’s manual notes that too few stones void the safety distances.
- Electric heater elements wear out over time; Finnmark puts typical replacement at about 3 to 5 years.
- Keep combustible items away from the heater, at the distances in its manual.
Need replacement stones, elements or parts? Shop replacement parts or ask us with your heater model.
Questions people ask
- How often should you oil a sauna?
- Every 6 to 12 months for interior benches and walls, using a sauna paraffin oil.
- How often should you replace sauna stones?
- Check and rearrange them every 50 to 100 hours of use and replace cracked or crumbling stones.
- How long do sauna heater elements last?
- Finnmark puts typical replacement at about 3 to 5 years.
Sources: Finnmark, barrel sauna care schedule; HUUM HIVE US manual. Follow your heater’s own manual.