Sauna towel in the steam room: rules, material and tips
Do you need a sauna towel in the steam room – and if so, which one? It is a fair question, because conditions in a steam room are very different from a Finnish sauna: less heat, but almost saturated air, and instead of wood you sit on stone or tiles. Here you will find out which towel rules are common, which material copes with the humidity and how to get your towel dry again after the steam room.
Contents8
- Steam room and sauna: what is different for your towel
- Do I need a sauna towel in the steam room?
- Which material suits the humid air?
- Our towel recommendations for the steam room
- Steam room and sauna on the same day: how to plan your towels
- Hygiene tips for the steam room
- Conclusion
- Frequently asked questions
Steam room and sauna: what is different for your towel
The Finnish sauna works with dry heat, the steam room with moist warmth. These two principles have a direct effect on your towel. In the wooden cabin the towel mainly absorbs sweat. In the steam room the steam also condenses everywhere – on your skin, on the walls and in the fabric too.
| Finnish sauna | Steam room | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature (typical) | usually 80–100 °C | usually around 40–50 °C |
| Humidity | low, briefly higher during an infusion | almost saturated, often thick mist |
| Seating | untreated wood | stone, tiles, artificial stone or plastic |
| Towel rule | towel almost always required | depends on the venue: seat towel, rinsing or both |
| What happens to the towel | absorbs sweat | gets completely damp from steam and sweat |
Why wood and stone are treated so differently is quickly explained: wood absorbs sweat, stone and tiles do not. A tiled bench can simply be rinsed with water, a wooden bench cannot. That is why the towel is the basic hygiene rule in the Finnish sauna, while steam rooms have their own solutions.
Do I need a sauna towel in the steam room?
There is no single answer. In Germany you will mainly come across three variants:
- Rinsing instead of a towel: before sitting down you spray your spot with the hose provided, and again after you get up. A towel is then not necessary and sometimes even unwanted because it drips.
- Seat towel required: the same basic rule applies as in the sauna – no skin contact with the bench. A towel is then mandatory, although a smaller seat towel is often enough.
- Both: rinse your spot and also put a towel down. This is the most thorough approach.
Which variant applies is usually shown on a sign at the entrance or in the house rules. If in doubt, just ask the staff. If you are unsure, take a towel with you – a towel you don't need does no harm.
Sitting or lying?
Many steam rooms have benches running around the walls; loungers are rarer. That is why a smaller towel covering your bottom and thighs is often enough. If you lean against the wall, the same applies to your back. A large towel can simply be folded double.
Which material suits the humid air?
In the steam room, absorbency alone is not what matters – it is mainly how the towel handles wetness. A towel that soaks itself full and becomes heavy makes the rest of your sauna day uncomfortable.
| Towel type | In the steam room | Afterwards |
|---|---|---|
| Flat-woven hammam towel (cotton) | gets damp but stays light | easy to wring out, dries comparatively quickly |
| Thick terry towel | soaks itself full, becomes heavy | takes a long time to dry |
| Small seat towel | covers the seat, little fabric | quickly wrung out and hung up |
It is no coincidence that the hammam towel was created for exactly these conditions: in the Turkish hammam, which is also a steam bath, it is traditionally wrapped around the hips. The flat weave absorbs moisture without becoming thick and heavy. We have described how a visit to the hammam itself works in a separate article.
Our towel recommendations for the steam room
- Light and large: the ADRIA hammam towel measures 180 × 100 cm and weighs only about 290 g. In the steam room it can be folded, wrung out and quickly hung up again.
- The all-rounder: the Ocean hammam towel (180 × 100 cm, approx. 400 g, 100 % cotton, flat-woven) works equally well in the steam room and the Finnish sauna.
- Small as a seat towel: the Mini hammam towel Diamant, approx. 90 × 45 cm and approx. 120 g, can be used as a small seat cover if the house rules only require a seat towel.
Very heavy towels are less suitable for the steam room. A dense sauna towel weighing almost a kilogram is pleasant in the wooden sauna, but quickly gets soaking wet in the steam room mist. Better keep it for the Finnish cabin.
Steam room and sauna on the same day: how to plan your towels
Many people alternate between the steam room and the Finnish sauna on a sauna day. The problem: a towel from the steam room is damp afterwards and only of limited use on the wooden bench. This split keeps you flexible:
- Towel 1 for the Finnish sauna: it stays as dry as possible and only goes on the wooden bench.
- Towel 2 for the steam room: light and flat-woven. Wring it out after each session and hang it up spread out.
- Bathrobe or third towel for the relaxation room: so you stay dry between sessions too.
In our experience at the Meri Sauna, a hammam towel dries in about 30 minutes in the sun and about 60 minutes indoors. After a steam room session it is correspondingly wetter – so better plan one extra towel. A light bathrobe is handy for the breaks.
Hygiene tips for the steam room
- Shower before the steam room: this is standard in every sauna facility and applies to the steam room just as much.
- Rinse your spot: where a hose is provided, rinse before and after sitting – even if you use a towel.
- Don't put the towel on the floor: the floor in the steam room is wet. A towel that has been lying there no longer belongs on the bench.
- Don't roll up a damp towel: crumpled in your bag it stays wet for a long time and soon smells musty. Better hang it up spread out.
- Wash it straight away at home: a towel from the steam room goes straight into the wash after your sauna day. You can read how to care for sauna towels properly in our care guide.
Related reading: Hammam Visit: How a Turkish Bath Works · Types of Sauna at a Glance: From Finnish to Steam Bath · Hammam towel or sauna towel? The differences and which towel suits you
Conclusion
Whether you need a sauna towel in the steam room depends on the facility: some rely on rinsing the stone or tiled bench, others require a seat towel. If you use a towel, a light, flat-woven hammam towel is the best choice, because it does not get heavy in the humid air and dries quickly afterwards. If you combine the steam room and the Finnish sauna, plan a separate towel for each cabin.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to sit on a towel in the steam room?
Not everywhere. Many steam rooms rely on rinsing the bench with water, others require a seat towel. The house rules or a sign at the entrance will tell you.
Can I take my towel from the Finnish sauna into the steam room?
If the house rules allow a towel, yes. But it will get damp there. For your next session in the wooden sauna you will then need a dry towel.
Why are the benches in the steam room made of stone or tiles?
Wood would not cope well with the constantly high humidity. Stone, tiles and similar materials do not absorb moisture and can simply be rinsed with water.
Is a hammam towel better than terry cloth in the steam room?
For humid air, usually yes: it stays light, can be wrung out and dries faster. Terry cloth soaks itself full and becomes heavy. More on this in our hammam towel vs. sauna towel comparison.
How long do people usually stay in the steam room?
About 10 to 20 minutes per session is common. Listen to your body and leave if it gets too much. If you have health questions, it is best to clarify sauna use with a doctor.
Personally written by Martin – founder of BeachAndSteam and sauna operator at Lake Kulkwitz for more than 18 years.