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In this article How to treat sauna wood with oil, I will tell you what to do when you want to oil your sauna benches. I also tell the benefits and why that is good for your sauna.

Why to treat sauna wood with oil

Using oil to protect your sauna benches divides people’s opinions. There are two sorts of sauna owners; those who never use oil and those who swear by it. Everyone is of course entitled to have their own opinion, here are just my thoughts on the topic.

When I first looked into sauna oils, I was a bit unsure about what I should do. In the end, I decided to take the plunge and used oil on the benches of our sauna. I am very pleased with the results and would recommend you give it a try, too!

You should only use oil on the benches once or maybe twice a year, so the whole process is not really that time-consuming. The oil also protects the benches against dirt and humidity and gives them (in my opinion) a nice colour and sheen.

The oil deepens the natural colour of the wood and makes it a bit darker, so if you are unsure about the darker tone, test the oil first on a piece of wood. It takes about two days before you can see the finished results.

It is important that you use protective oil only on freshly washed and cleaned sauna surfaces! You can find my best sauna-cleaning tips.

Read more: How to clean the sauna.

How to treat sauna wood with oil

Here is how you use protective oil on your sauna benches:

Heat the sauna and oil to 40 degrees Celsius. The warmth will help to open grain of the wood and the oil will absorb better.
Use a sponge or a brush to evenly spread the oil. Make sure to use oil on both sides of the benches. It might be a good idea to start from the top.
Use the oil on all the wooden surfaces; benches, back- and headrests.
Let the oil absorb for 1 to 2 hours.
Use a lint-free cloth to wipe off the excess oil.
Make sure all the oil is well-absorbed before you heat your sauna next.

What is the best oil for your sauna benches?

Paraffin oil is a pure, completely color, fragrance and toxin free oil for wood surfaces. It is suitable for various wood surfaces including the sauna benches and wood paneling. It is especially suitable for thermally-treated wood and European Alder panelling. It is important to use paraffin oil as it is the only oil suitable for sauna surfaces.

Not sure where you can order paraffin oil? I have good news; you can now order paraffin oil from my Sauna Shop! I ship sauna products to Europe, USA and Canada directly from Germany. Worldwide delivery is possible, please contact us for more information.

Order here: Sauna-Shop

With love, Sauna-Kati

In the article – Can you go to sauna with a baby – I discuss all the things you should take into consideration when going to sauna with baby.

Read more: Can you go to sauna while pregnant

Are saunas safe for babies

This article focuses on whether or not you should take your baby to sauna. And if you should, how to do it right. Are there any rules of thumb for that?

About hundred years ago, 95% of all births in Finland were home births and usually mothers gave birth in the sauna. It was therefore normal for the baby to “have their first sauna” at the age of ten minutes.

Today, an average Finnish baby takes their first sauna bath at the age of 4.5 months. 12% of babies go to the sauna for the first time at the age of one month. At first, babies are kept in the sauna for less than five minutes at a time.

Babies have a large skin area in relation to their size, which allows them to warm up faster than an adult. The baby’s body temperature begins to rise as soon as you enter the steam room and stays high throughout. Baby’s body temperature does not stay constant in the sauna.

In Finland, families enjoy the sauna experience about once a week, and it is part of our tradition and culture. The new baby is included in the bathing ritual and it is all considered a natural part of the family activity. However, the baby should not stay in the sauna for more than ten minutes.

Remember to take care of hydration, especially during and after bathing.

Can you go to sauna with a baby

Initial Setting:

Finnish wooden sauna, sauna temperature 60 degrees and a 3-month-old baby.

Initially, we sat on the lower boards
I breastfed the baby at the same time
I checked the baby constantly, on the forehead and cheeks
We started with ca. 5 minutes
We went outside to cool down
We only had mild steam
We left the sauna and showered
I continued breastfeeding in the dressing room
Father stayed in sauna and when he was ready, he took the baby so I could go back to sauna

In the sauna with a 5 month old baby

When the baby was five months old, I pretty much continued to do the same things I did when he was 3 months old. Although, we were here in Germany at that time and there was no chance of a steam bath and the temperature of the sauna was only 60 degrees.

Sometimes, we stayed in the sauna for almost 15 minutes. I kept an eye on the situation and breastfed my baby the whole time.

It seemed that the baby enjoyed sauna just as much as I did. From the blush on his cheek I could tell when it was time to leave.

Because babies are unable to communicate their feelings, it is the adults responsibility to make sure that they are conformable at all times.

Sauna experiences in Germany

When my son was little, we took a sauna after we had finished our baby swimming lessons and sometimes got strange glances thrown at us. Some were delighted and told how brave I was to bring a baby to the sauna. Others mumbled something about being worried about the baby and wondered why I had dragged my baby to the sauna.

Most people I talked to were excited and encouraging. Especially excited they were when they heard that we were from Finland. Then they just said, “You Finns are so used to saunas”.

Once a lady told me that I had been in the sauna for a long time with my baby. By that time my son was already older and used to being in the sauna, so I just told the lady that. Maybe she was terrified, I don’t know.

Read more: Can you go to sauna with children

Summary

Taking your baby to sauna is safe as long as you follow the basic rules. Take care of hydration, do not stay for too long and do not go to sauna that is too hot. Common sense goes a long way. It’s a good idea to start slowly, so your baby has a nice sauna experience starting from the beginning.