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What is English sauna culture like? Can a child under 12 take a sauna? Can you pour water on the sauna stove? Are there any sauna rules in England? Do I have to be naked in the sauna? You will find the answers to all these questions in this article. 

English sauna culture 

I was amused when I typed “English sauna culture” into the Google search engine (in Finnish). I did not find any results. One online article very briefly stated that England does not have its own distinctive sauna culture. 

To learn more about the topic, I decided to interview some Finns living in England. I, personally, have no personal experience with English saunas or taking a sauna in England. 

Please remember that this article is not supposed to tell “the ultimate truth”. It reflects the observations and interpretations of individual people. 

Feel free to send me a message if you have had a different experience! 

English sauna culture 

Like me, you may have found the title of this article amusing, especially if you live in England. Then you know there really is no “English” sauna culture. However, there are some things that I would like to share with my readers. 

Saunas 

There are saunas in hotels, spas, gyms and, of course, private homes. There are a few sauna entrepreneurs in England. I know about them, because I follow them on Instagram. 

English saunas are regular saunas with stoves and stones. They use both electric and wooden stoves. 

There are barrel saunas, infrared saunas, garden saunas, trailer saunas, you name it! 

The English consider owning sauna a luxury. And, especially for us expatriate Finns, owning a sauna does feel luxurious. 

Taking a sauna 

The English are not used to hot saunas. That is why the saunas in hotels and gyms are usually too cold for the Finnish taste. Sometimes, the saunas are heated to a mere 50 degrees Celsius. 

Children under the age of 12 are usually not allowed in the sauna. This is thought to be in the best interest of the customers. As most of the customers are adults, noisy children aren’t welcome. 

Several expatriate Finns have had to fight for their children’s rights to take a sauna. One of them printed sauna instructions off the Sauna Society’s website and brought them to their 

local sauna. The instructions clearly stated that children can take a sauna and it is not harmful for them in any way. 

Read more: Sauna with children. 

Steam 

Can you pour water on the stove in an English sauna? Well, it depends. Usually no. Some Finns told me that they sneak in a bottle of water with them when they go to sauna. 

However, the English might look in amazement at what you do. English saunas are often dry and only few places have a ladle and a bucket in the sauna. 

Are the saunas mixed? 

Sometimes. There are some mixed saunas. Swimming pools often offer saunas separately for men and women. In both cases, it is customary to wear a swimsuit, or a towel wrapped around you. 

English shyness 

Typically, the English are a little shy when it comes to being naked. Most people want to wear a swimsuit or towel, even if they take a sauna with their own family. This is very different from us Finns. 

Finns who have a sauna in England have received some funny comments from their English friends. For example, the friends might say that they will not take a sauna if they have to be naked. And some people do not want to take a sauna at all. 

Sauna rules 

England does not have its own sauna rules. However, many things are prohibited: 

• You are not allowed to throw water on the stove. 
• You are not allowed not go to the sauna while pregnant. 
• Children under 12 years old are not allowed in the sauna. 

I think these rules are unnecessary. Everyone should be allowed to enjoy sauna. Children, as well as pregnant women, can take a sauna. It is completely safe, as long as you listen to your body’s messages. 

I hope you found this article on English sauna culture useful. Maybe it answered some questions you had about English sauna culture.