Can you wear clothes in an infrared cabin and sauna - is that allowed?

When it comes to dress code in the sauna, opinions differ. This is mainly due to cultural differences and personal preferences.

While it is considered impolite and inappropriate in America or England to be naked in a heat cabin, the opposite is true in some parts of Europe. Here, you often make yourself unpopular if you sit fully clothed in an infrared cabin.

Many sauna-goers believe that the Finns are right when they say that one should enjoy the sauna naked. After all, they are responsible for the invention of saunas as we know them.

Basically, heat cabins in German-speaking countries are clothing-free zones. However, if you feel a great deal of shame, you can, of course, circumvent this unwritten law and cover your body.

What is better, with or without clothing in the infrared cabin?

For the direct effect of infrared radiation on the skin, experts recommend entering the infrared cabin without clothing. This allows the skin to breathe, sweat drips from the body, and the organism can feel the heat directly.

Always place a towel or a similarly absorbent cloth underneath. This prevents sweat from leaving stains on the wood over time and potentially promoting wear and tear. Of course, the towel can also be used in the sauna as a covering to protect your privacy.

Clothing in the infrared cabin absorbs heat and allows it to escape back into its surroundings. Simply put, if you wear too many clothes during your sauna session, you cannot fully utilize its therapeutic and health benefits.

However, you should, of course, feel completely comfortable to allow the relaxing effect of the heat to work on you. Therefore, there are several ways to experience the feel-good effect of the sauna even when covered.

The optimal choice of clothing for saunas

Those who decide to use the infrared cabin clothed can choose from various options.

• Wearing swimwear

The most obvious idea to stay covered is to wear a swimsuit or swimming trunks. It is best to choose a swimsuit made of natural materials that, if possible, fits loosely. This allows for better air circulation and breathability of the skin.

Attention! Stay away from synthetic fabrics. Under such materials, the skin cannot breathe. This can lead to dehydration or discomfort.

• Loose cotton clothing

If swimwear does not offer you enough protection, you can also cover your body with an oversized T-shirt, loose yoga pants, or loose-fitting shorts.

In any case, your garment should not be too tight and should consist of as high a percentage of cotton as possible. Cotton absorbs excess sweat and allows the skin to breathe well.

• A sauna kilt

The sauna kilt is the perfect blend of towel and covering garment. It's a cloth with an elastic band or velcro fastener that can be wrapped around the body like a towel and stays put without slipping.

This well-known sauna attire is available for both women and men. The sauna kilt is often only worn in the outdoor area and taken off in the infrared cabin itself and used like a normal towel.

• The hammam towel

This cotton-woven towel originally comes from Turkey and is mainly used there in the typical steam bath (hammam). It has also become very popular in Central Europe for saunas or as a beach towel.

Since the hammam towel is traditionally made of pure natural fibers, it is gentle on the skin, absorbs sweat perfectly, and also dries faster than conventional terry towels.

What clothing is unsuitable for the sauna and infrared cabin?

Being naked in the infrared cabin is the best way to get the full benefit of the experience. However, if this is not possible due to regulations or personal discomfort, a few basic details must be observed.

If you want to use an infrared cabin with clothing, you should ensure that it is comfortable and healthy for the skin. Choose garments made of fabrics that allow your skin to breathe and keep the sauna clean and hygienic.

In any case, avoid sportswear. PVC or elastane clothing prevents air circulation and can release chemicals into the air at high temperatures.

Also, do not wear dirty clothes. The heat can cause dirt to detach from the fabric and enter the air. This could lead to skin rashes and spread germs.

Even if jewelry and watches are not necessarily considered clothing, it is worth noting that they should be removed before using an infrared cabin. Metal can get very hot in the sauna and burn your skin.

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Correct behavior in a public sauna or infrared cabin

For a peaceful coexistence when using public infrared cabins and saunas, there is a certain etiquette that must be observed.

Cleanliness

Before entering a sauna or infrared cabin, you should shower and completely dry your body. Only then are you ready to use the heat cabin.

In steam baths, you should also spray water on the bench you were sitting on. Nobody wants to sit in a puddle of sweat after you.

Towel

In the outdoor area of the sauna, you should keep yourself covered, i.e., with a towel or bathrobe. For your stay in the infrared cabin, you must bring a towel, which you place on the seat as a base.

This way, you don't sweat directly onto the bench and keep the cabin hygienically clean.

Quick entry and exit

When entering the sauna cabin, you should do so as quickly as possible and open and close the door quickly. This way, the heat is not lost, and no disturbing noises from outside enter.

You should also leave the sauna directly before or after an infusion and never during it.

Conversations

Talking in the infrared cabin is generally allowed, but should be done quietly and kept to a minimum. People usually greet each other when entering, and sometimes short, irrelevant conversations arise. However, these should not end in heated discussions, as other users might find this disturbing.

Inappropriate behavior

This point includes habits like staring or giggling. A large number of users will be sitting naked in the infrared cabin. So avoid curious glances or uninhibited staring. Childish giggling or inappropriate comments are also absolutely taboo in this setting.

Heat cabins are a place of relaxation and holistic treatment of body and mind. This is only possible in public if all users behave respectfully and appropriately.

Conclusion

In public infrared cabins, there are general manners to observe, which serve to sweat respectfully and hygienically with other users. While most of these guidelines seem self-evident, it is advantageous, especially for newcomers, to first inform themselves about behavior in the sauna.

There is no direct dress code. Only the use of a towel as an underlay is mandatory. Whether you wear clothing in the sauna and infrared cabin is ultimately up to you. Even if the majority of users probably sweat naked in the sauna, there is no strict rule for it.

For more information on infrared cabins, we at Clearlight are happy to advise you.

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