Why saunas beat hot tubs for maintenance

More time enjoying -- less time with upkeep.

A huge concern with any new large purchase -- whether it be a home, a sauna, a hot tub, a car, is how much maintenance does this require and how much is that going to cost me?

While we can't say the same for a house, car, or hot tub, sauna maintenance is certainly low-cost and a breeze!

Our maintenance routine

Before jumping into our routine, your #1 best friend for maintaining your sauna is simply using it! Hot temperatures are your friend and an enemy of moisture and everything that comes with it (mold, mildew, bacteria). We also like to leave our sauna hot for 15-30 minutes after we're done to give it a nice bake and dry everything out.

We can break our routine into the follow 3 categories based on how often each item is needed:

After every use (~1-2 minutes)

• Wipe down the benches with a wet towel.
• Sweep the floors of any debris as needed.
• Empty the ash pan (if using a wood-fired stove).

Bi-weekly/monthly depending on how often the sauna is used (~10 minutes)

• Scrub the floors with a mild detergent.
• Clean the siding with an ammonia-free plastic cleaner as needed. Wipe down with a microfiber towel.

Annually (~2 hours)

• (Optional) Lightly sand the benches with a fine grit sandpaper to remove any sweat stains and restore that lovely cedar smell!
• Sweep the chimney clean (if using a wood-fired stove).

So there you have it. Almost no chemicals needed. Nothing expensive. And very little time commitment. Less time spent maintaining means more time relaxing and enjoying your NorthUp sauna.