5 Home Sauna Tips From a Certified Sauna Master
Most people know how to turn on a sauna. Far fewer know how to really work with the heat. After completing my Sauna Master certification, five techniques changed how I use my own sauna — and how I now advise people choosing one.
At a Glance
- Ventilation is part of the design, not just a comfort detail — air needs to move in and out before, during and after your session.
- A towel can move heat around the room, giving you more control over where the heat is felt.
- Pouring löyly gradually, far stones to near, gives you more control over intensity than one large pour.
- An ice ball releases sauna aroma slowly as it melts, instead of all at once.
- Choose aroma by the character you want from the session — and always dilute it before use, never pour it directly on the stones.
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Why This Comes From Training, Not a Product Page
After years of using sauna as part of my own recovery — first as a professional athlete, now running Marterra — I completed my Sauna Master certification, training with four experienced Aufguss instructors with more than 19 years of combined experience teaching and competing internationally. That experience also changed what I look for when helping someone choose a home sauna: the heater, ventilation, room dimensions, bench height, and how the sauna is actually going to be used all affect the experience.
1. Air It Out Before You Heat It Up
Ventilation isn't just about comfort. It's part of how a sauna is designed to function.
Before you start heating, open the door and let fresh air move through the space. Once the sauna is heated, ventilation keeps mattering — a good balance of fresh air coming in and air moving out affects comfort, how heat distributes through the room, and the overall atmosphere of the session.
This is also why ventilation is something worth considering before installation, not after. The sauna's design, heater, placement and ventilation strategy all work together.
The sauna isn't a sealed box. Air is part of the experience.
2. Use Your Towel to Move the Heat
This is one of my favorite things to teach, because you can actually feel the difference.
In an Aufguss session, the towel isn't just there to dry your hands. It's a tool for moving hot air. A top-to-bottom movement can bring hotter air down toward the bathers, increasing the sensation of heat. A bottom-to-top movement can move cooler air upward and create a little relief.
You don't need to become an Aufguss performer to use the principle at home. Even a simple towel movement can change where the heat is felt in the room.
Once you understand how the hot and cool layers move, you stop thinking of sauna heat as something that simply happens to you. You can work with it.
3. Pour Your Löyly From Far to Near
One technique I learned during training was to pour from the stones farther away toward the stones closer to you, rather than all at once.
The goal is controlled application. Steam can build quickly, and pouring gradually — one ladle, feeling how the heat moves through the room, then deciding whether you want another — gives you more say over the intensity of the session, while keeping your hands and arms farther from the immediate burst of heat.
This is one reason traditional sauna design matters. If you want to regularly work with löyly, the heater, stone capacity, room volume, and bench layout all become part of the experience.
New to traditional sauna and löyly? Our Sauna collection is built around this exact ritual.
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Heater type, ventilation, bench height, electrical requirements, placement, and how you plan to use the sauna all shape the experience. If you're still figuring those pieces out, we're happy to help.
Book Your Free Consultation4. Use an Ice Ball for a Slower Aroma Release
This is one of the techniques I was introduced to during Sauna Master training, and it has become one of my favorite ways to work with sauna aroma.
Instead of adding aroma to a single pour of water, you can add appropriately diluted sauna aroma to a small ice ball. As the ice melts, the water and aroma are released more gradually, creating a slower, more even release of scent throughout the session.
It's a very different experience from introducing all of the aroma at once. You have more time to notice how the scent develops as the ice melts.
No special equipment is required. You can make a small ice ball using crushed ice and a suitable mold, or simply form the ice into a compact shape before your session.
Before You Use Ice on the Stones
Always check your heater manufacturer's instructions before introducing ice to the stones. Not every heater is designed for it, and requirements vary by model.
5. Choose Your Sauna Aroma With Intention
If you want to add sauna aroma, think about the character you want from the session rather than simply choosing whatever smells appealing on the shelf.
Choose By Character
- Citrus (lemon, orange, grapefruit) — bright, fresh
- Eucalyptus — crisp, herbal
- Lavender — soft, floral
- Peppermint — cool, minty
- Pine or fir — fresh, forest-like
Start with a single aroma per session so you actually notice how the scent develops, rather than combining several fragrances at once.
Never Pour Undiluted Oil on the Stones
Essential oils should be diluted appropriately in water or ice before use, following your heater manufacturer's instructions and the guidance for the specific product you're using.
None of this is about doing sauna "correctly." The more time I spend learning about sauna, the more I realize the experience is less about following a formula and more about learning to read the room — the heat, the air, the steam, and your own response to them. That's what I took away from Sauna Master training. The small choices can change the entire experience.
— Tina Marolt, Certified Sauna Master, Founder of Marterra Elements
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the easiest technique here for a beginner to start with?
Ventilation and the far-to-near löyly pour are the simplest to try right away — neither requires new equipment, just a small change in habit.
Do I need special equipment for the towel technique?
No. At the most basic level, any sauna towel works. What matters is the direction of the movement.
Is pouring löyly far-to-near the "correct" way to do it?
It's one technique learned during Sauna Master training, not a universal rule. Far-to-near is used mainly due to safety concerns.
Can I put ice directly on any sauna's hot stones?
Not necessarily. Always check your heater manufacturer's instructions first, since requirements vary by model.
Are essential oils safe to use in a sauna?
When diluted appropriately and used according to your heater manufacturer's instructions, sauna aroma is a common part of the ritual. Never pour undiluted oil directly onto hot stones. And check with your doctor prior if you have any health concerns.
Do these techniques apply to any home sauna?
The general principles apply broadly, but always defer to your own heater and sauna manufacturer's documentation, since features and requirements vary by model.
Continue Reading
Sauna practices vary by heater, sauna design, and individual circumstances. Always follow your heater manufacturer's instructions, especially when adding water, ice, or sauna aroma. This article reflects personal training experience and general sauna principles, not a universal safety standard.
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