Good sauna etiquette is about making room for other people while following the rules of the place you are visiting. A shower before entering and a towel beneath you help keep shared spaces clean. Conversation should suit the room, and adding water needs agreement. There is no need to stay when you want a break.
Getting familiar with the place
Dress codes, phone policies and access to sauna controls vary between venues. General etiquette cannot replace the instructions where you are visiting. At Everyone Active, for example, only authorised people may adjust the controls, even if you have been allowed to do so elsewhere.
Allow time to check in and get changed. Community Sauna recommends arriving 10–15 minutes early so staff can welcome you and explain the space. That is its advice, not a requirement for every sauna. You do not need to know every custom before arriving; if something is unfamiliar, staff can explain how it works.
Swimwear, towels and a locker padlock
The dress code is worth reading before you pack. Wildhut describes swimwear or a towel wrap as common options in UK public saunas. Community Sauna asks visitors to bring swimwear, so a towel alone will not necessarily meet the requirements where you are going.
Pack separate towels for sitting on and drying yourself afterwards. Clothing does not replace the towel beneath you on the bench. Everyone Active also advises removing watches and jewellery before entering.
For a visit to Community Sauna, the packing list includes a water bottle, flip-flops or sliders, a bag for wet clothes and warm clothes for afterwards. You will also need to bring a padlock for the lockers.
Clean benches and room to sit
Both Wildhut and Everyone Active include a shower before entering in their guidance. Everyone Active specifically recommends washing away perspiration and deodorants. Once inside, put your towel down before sitting or lying on the bench.
When seats are limited, Wildhut advises against stretching out or taking more space than necessary. You may be sitting close to others in a smaller room, but leaving available bench space makes sharing it easier.
A plunge pool calls for another rinse. At Community Sauna, bathers are asked to shower away sweat before plunging to help keep the shared water fresh. Keep your drying towel separate from your sitting towel.
Conversation, quiet and phones
You can chat, but you do not have to. Community Sauna welcomes conversation and silence alike. Keep your voice considerate and give anyone who prefers a quiet session room to enjoy it. Wildhut likewise advises against loud conversations that disturb other bathers.
A social atmosphere is not an invitation to play a playlist or draw everyone into a discussion. Hekla’s guidance rules out music, loud conversation and exercise in the sauna.
Phones are prohibited inside Community Sauna’s saunas. Photographs are allowed outside, with consent first. Its guidance also asks you not to comment on other people’s bodies or tattoos, even if you mean it as a compliment. Phone policies vary, so read the rules for your venue.
Water, oils and the sauna controls
Before adding water to the stones, get agreement from the other bathers. Both Community Sauna and Wildhut emphasise this. Where it is permitted, Community Sauna advises adding a ladle at a time, pausing between additions rather than pouring repeatedly.
Agreement from the room does not necessarily give you permission to change the temperature. Wildhut says to check with others before making adjustments; Everyone Active reserves its controls for authorised people only. The venue’s rule takes precedence.
Essential oils are another point of difference. Wildhut discusses using them with everyone’s consent, while Community Sauna prohibits visitors from using their own oils. Leave yours unused unless staff confirm they are permitted. Towels and other belongings must stay off the stove.
Taking a break at your own pace
There is no need to keep pace with anyone else. Community Sauna encourages you to step out whenever you need to, rest between rounds and drink water. The cold plunge is optional, so you can enjoy the sauna without following every part of someone else’s routine.
Leave when the heat becomes uncomfortable, as Everyone Active advises. Sharing a session is no reason to stay longer than you want.
Leaving and returning is usually possible at Community Sauna, but it is not promised in every case. Re-entry arrangements depend on the venue; staff can clarify them if needed. Take your breaks at your own pace and remain considerate of those around you.
Questions people ask
- Do you need a towel if you are wearing swimwear?
- Yes. Both Community Sauna and Everyone Active ask you to use a towel on the bench, even with swimwear on. Bring a separate towel for drying afterwards.
- Is talking in a public sauna rude?
- Not necessarily. Conversation and silence are both welcome at Community Sauna. Keep your voice considerate and respect people who prefer not to chat. Wildhut advises against loud conversations.
- Can you pour water on the sauna stones?
- Only where the venue permits it, and after asking the other bathers. At Community Sauna, the advice is a ladle at a time with a pause between additions. Permission to add water does not necessarily include permission to adjust the controls.
- Can you bring your own essential oils?
- Policies differ. Wildhut discusses using oils with fellow bathers’ consent; Community Sauna does not allow visitors to use their own. Confirm the policy with staff before using any oils.
- Do you have to use the cold plunge?
- No. Plunging is explicitly optional at Community Sauna. If you choose to use its plunge pools, shower off your sweat first.