Good sauna etiquette comes down to three things: respect, cleanliness, and quiet. Shower before you go in, sit on a towel, keep your voice down, and ask before you add more water to the stones.
Key takeaways
- Shower before you enter, every time, even if you feel clean. It is the single rule most sauna cultures agree on.
- Always sit or lie on your own towel. It is a hygiene basic, not a suggestion.
- Keep conversation quiet or skip it entirely. The sauna is a low-noise space by default.
- Ask before adding water to the stones (the loyly). It is a shared resource, not yours alone to control.
- Nudity, swimwear, and dress norms vary a lot by country and by venue, so read the room before you assume.
Here are the unwritten rules that keep a shared hot room comfortable for everyone in it.
1. Shower before you go in
This is the rule that matters most, and it is nonnegotiable in almost every sauna culture. Rinse off before you enter, even if you only just showered that morning. Sweat, lotion, deodorant, and everyday grime do not belong on a hot bench that other people will sit on after you. Our guide to why you should wear a sauna hat covers the broader logic of getting your routine right before you sit down.
2. Always sit on a towel
Bring your own towel and sit or lie on it, full stop. This is not about modesty. It is about not putting bare skin directly on a surface that dozens of other people will use. Most gyms and public saunas will refuse you entry without one, and a towel large enough to cover shoulders to knees is the standard.
3. Keep your voice down
Saunas are a quiet space by default. A few quiet words are fine, but loud conversation, phone calls, or laughing it up with a friend can ruin the experience for everyone else in the room. Many regulars use the sauna as their one deliberately quiet moment in the day, and if people around you are sitting with their eyes closed in silence, that is your cue.
4. Ask before adding more water to the stones
The loyly, the burst of steam you get from ladling water over hot stones, is one of the best parts of a traditional sauna, and it is also the fastest way to start a disagreement. More water means more heat and more steam, and not everyone in the room wants that. Always ask first, and never add so much that you spike the heat past what the room agreed to. Our piece on Finnish sauna hat history covers where this whole tradition, hat included, actually comes from.
5. Do not overstay a packed room
If the sauna is full and people are waiting outside, keep your session reasonably short so others get a turn, especially during peak gym or spa hours. An empty room is a different story, but a full one changes the math.
6. Nudity and swimwear norms vary, so check first
This is the rule most first-timers get anxious about, and the honest answer is there is no single universal standard. In some countries and traditional venues, nudity is the norm and swimwear is discouraged. In many public gyms, hotels, and mixed-use spas, swimwear is required, and some venues run single-sex sessions while others are mixed. Check the specific venue's posted rules or ask staff before you go in, and when in doubt, bring swimwear and a towel and adjust once you see what everyone else is doing.
7. Phones stay out, or at least stay silent
A phone is a bad match for heat and humidity, and it breaks the quiet, low-stimulation feeling a sauna is supposed to have. Leave it in the locker room if you can. If you bring one in for timing your session, keep it silent and skip the calls and scrolling.
8. A sauna hat is a personal item, never a shared one
If you wear a wool sauna hat, treat it exactly like your towel: it is yours alone, not something you pass around or borrow from a bench. Wool holds onto moisture and heat between uses, so sharing one is a hygiene issue as much as a comfort issue. If you are new to the idea, do sauna hats actually work and sauna hat benefits cover why regulars wear one, how to use a sauna hat covers the routine, and our guide on sauna hat hygiene and how to wash a wool sauna hat covers keeping it fresh.
Sauna etiquette at a glance
| Situation | Do | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Before entering | Shower first, every time | Skipping the rinse because you feel clean |
| Seating | Sit or lie on your own towel | Bare skin directly on the bench |
| Conversation | Keep your voice low or stay silent | Loud talk, phone calls, or laughing it up |
| The loyly | Ask before adding water to the stones | Dousing the stones without asking |
| Busy rooms | Keep your session reasonably short | Overstaying when people are waiting |
| Dress code | Check the venue's specific rules first | Assuming one universal standard |
| Phones | Leave them out, or keep them silent | Scrolling or taking calls inside |
| Sauna hats | Keep your hat as a personal item | Sharing or borrowing someone else's hat |
First time in a shared sauna? Start here
None of this is about being uptight. A sauna is a small, hot, shared space, and the rules exist so it works for everyone in it, not just for you. If you are nervous about getting it wrong, the shortcut is simple: shower first, bring a towel, stay quiet, ask before touching the stones, and watch what everyone else is doing before you do anything unusual. Nobody expects a first-timer to know every local custom.
The Felty take
Felty makes the sauna hat, perfected. Our Original Wool Sauna Hat is 100% premium wool, handcrafted in small batches and made to be entirely your own, something you bring with you, use, and pack up again, exactly the way good sauna etiquette expects. If you are ready to build your own routine the right way, shop our wool sauna hats.
Frequently asked questions
What is proper sauna etiquette?
Proper sauna etiquette comes down to respect, cleanliness, and quiet. Shower before you enter, always sit on your own towel, keep your voice down, and ask before adding water to the stones. Beyond that, read the room and match what other people are doing.
Do you have to shower before a sauna?
Yes. Showering before you enter is one of the most universally agreed-upon sauna rules, regardless of country or venue. It keeps sweat, lotion, and everyday grime off shared surfaces, and it helps your body handle the heat better once inside.
Is nudity normal in a sauna?
It depends on the country and the venue. Some traditional saunas treat nudity as the norm and discourage swimwear, while many gyms, hotels, and mixed-use spas require it. There is no single universal rule, so check the venue's posted policy or ask staff before you go in.
Can you talk in a sauna?
A few quiet words are fine, but saunas are meant to be a low-noise space. Loud conversation, phone calls, or laughing with a friend can disrupt the experience for everyone else in the room, so keep your voice down or skip conversation altogether.
Should you ask before adding water to the sauna stones?
Yes, always ask first. Adding water to the stones creates the loyly, a burst of heat and steam that affects everyone in the room, not just you. It is a shared resource, so check with the room before adding more.