Disinfecting Household Saunas
Household saunas have become more popular in recent years because they provide a convenient way to relax and detoxify the body and improve overall wellness.
Household saunas come in three forms: infrared cabin, steam room, and traditional Finnish sauna.
While saunas provide warmth and comfort to the user, they also create the ideal environment for harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, mold, and viruses. The warm and humid environment of a sauna provides an ideal breeding ground for many of these germs and, therefore, regular cleaning alone does not guarantee a safe sauna; however, there is a process that needs to take place each day in order to properly disinfect and sterilize your sauna, protecting your health and ensuring the greatest lifetime out of the sauna itself.
This article will give you a step-by-step guideline on how to maintain a hygienic sauna in your home, creating a routine that can be turned into a barrier against germs.
The first step to understanding why it's critical to disinfect your sauna on a daily basis is to understand what happens to your sauna after each session.
Each time you use your sauna, moisture, sweat, skin cells, and other microorganisms are left behind. This creates an environment that can create unpleasant odors, slippery surfaces, and, in some cases, respiratory problems.
By having a systematic approach for maintaining your sauna, you can relax and enjoy your sauna knowing that you will always start each session from a clean, safe, and healthy environment.
Preparing and Assessing Surfaces Before Disinfectant Is Applied
Before the application of any disinfectant, the first step in preparing your sauna is to know what items should not be in your sauna when applying disinfectant.
The most important items to remove are any loose equipment such as towels, buckets, ladles, and thermometers. Items such as towels which are being used in the sauna should be cleaned or discarded, while buckets, ladles and thermometers should either be cleaned or discarded, depending on whether they are single-use or reusable.
Following the removal of loose equipment such as towels, buckets, ladles and thermometers, perform a visual inspection of all surfaces within your sauna including wooden benches, backrests, floors, and walls.There are many areas of your sauna that are prone to mold and bacteria because of built-up moisture. Pay close attention to these areas. Wipe down all surfaces after your sauna cools down. It is important to thoroughly dry the sauna's surfaces using a microfiber cloth. Dust and loose debris can hinder the effectiveness of disinfectants. Use caution with using too much water on wooden surfaces, since prolonged exposure to moist conditions could cause the wood to warp or the mold to grow again. A lightly dampened cloth can be used for wiping down wooden surfaces to safely lift off any leftover residue.
Use Proper Disinfectants for Sauna Materials
Sauna materials require specially formulated products for cleaning and disinfecting. The majority of disinfectants available on the market contain toxic chemicals that will cause damage to the wood products used to construct saunas (i.e. cedar, hemlock, and spruce) by causing surfaces to discolor and releasing noxious fumes when heated. The recommended products for safely cleaning and disinfecting wood products are organic and non-harmful, such as diluted white vinegar (1 part vinegar to 3 parts water) or 3% hydrogen peroxide (3%). Both of these are extremely effective against viruses, fungi, and bacteria, and do not pose a threat to sauna materials.
Using Non-porous Cleaning Products for Sauna Equipment
Glass doors, metal handles, and tile floors are examples of non-porous materials. For these types of surfaces, commercial cleaning products, such as alcohol-based 70% isopropyl alcohol, may be used. Alternatively, generally available antibacterial products are safe to use as well. Regardless of which commercial product you choose, spend time testing the small area first to determine if the cleaning product will have any negative impact on your sauna materials.You may also want to use natural essential oil disinfectants, such as eucalyptus and tea trees, that possess anti-microbial properties and produce pleasant scents. Simply add a few drops of essential oils to water in a spray bottle to create your own eco-friendly disinfectant.
Steps To Follow For Daily Disinfecting Your Sauna
1. Spray disinfectant onto all interior surfaces of the sauna, starting at the ceiling and working downward through the walls and benches. For wood surfaces, use a light mist rather than soaking the wood. Wait 5-10 minutes before wiping all surfaces with a clean, damp cloth in order for the disinfectant to have sufficient contact time (5-10 minutes) with germs to kill them effectively. Make sure sauna room has adequate ventilation during disinfectant dwell time to help prevent build-up of harmful fumes.
2. After the appropriate dwell time, wipe down all surfaces with a clean, damp cloth to remove disinfectant residue and any loosened dirt/debris from the surface of the sauna. For hard-to-remove stains or mildew, use a soft bristle brush to help agitate/dislodge any particles attached to the surface of the sauna. Change your cloth frequently (in clean water) to avoid contaminating clean surfaces with dirty water or your dishdrop.
3. After the rinsing and scrubbing, dry all surfaces thoroughly with either a clean towel or leave the sauna door open (if using a wooden sauna) to allow the sauna to air dry. Drying is important to reduce the chances of recontamination from moisture lingering in wet/tacky areas.
Hygiene Maintenance Practices For Sauna Accessories & Floor
You should also disinfect all items that come in contact with skin in addition to disinfecting the sauna. For example, you should wash sauna buckets, ladles, and thermometers with soap and hot water after each use and allow them to completely air dry after washing. If your sauna uses wooden scrub brushes or loofahs, change them out frequently because they can carry bacteria in their fibers. For the floor, if the floor is made of tile or concrete, you can use a mop to clean with a disinfecting solution.
Remember to disinfect control panels, electric cords, light switches, and door knobs; all of these items are touched often and could easily be neglected. You should disinfect these areas using alcohol wipes or wipes soaked in disinfectant, but be careful not to allow the liquid to penetrate into the electronic components. Placing removable wash mats on the floor will make it easier to clean the sauna floor. Taking these steps will help you ensure that no area-no matter how small-serves as a breeding site for pathogenic organisms.
Best Practices For Establishing a Routine For Daily Disinfection And Maintenance
If you create a routine for disinfection and cleaning of the sauna, you will develop the habit of doing these tasks daily. A good time to perform disinfection and cleaning is right after the sauna has cooled down following use. Develop a checklist detailing each of the tasks required for complete disinfecting and cleaning of the sauna (i.e., cooling down, dry wiping, disinfecting, allowing the disinfectant time to dwell, rinsing, and drying) so that you do not forget to complete any task when disinfecting/cleaning your sauna. Encourage everyone in your household to take a shower prior to using the sauna, which will help reduce the amount of sweat, oil, and dead skin cells introduced into the sauna.
Check your sauna frequently for signs of odor, discoloration, or visible mold; this means there may be a need for changes in your daily disinfecting/cleaning routine (e.g., using either stronger disinfectants or drying for additional time). Using a digital hygrometer to track the amount of humidity inside the sauna while not in use is also helpful-ideally, humidity levels should not exceed 60%. By implementing these practices into your daily routine, you are ensuring your sauna is a healthy place for you and your family instead of a potential source of illness.
