Should You Wear Shoes in a Sauna? Expert Guide

Should You Wear Shoes in a Sauna? It’s a common question with no single right answer. Your footwear choice depends on where you’re taking a sauna, what type of facility you’re in, and your personal health concerns.

Understanding Why Footwear Matters in Saunas

Sauna footwear isn’t just about comfort—it’s about safety and hygiene, too.

A study from the Medical University of Innsbruck found that slip and fall incidents cause 57.5% of all sauna-related injuries, resulting in contusions, fractures, and other serious problems.¹

The flooring in sauna areas creates unique risks:

• Wooden floors can become slippery when wet
• Tile transitions outside saunas often cause slips
• High temperatures can affect your balance

Your personal health also matters. People with diabetes or compromised immune systems need extra foot protection against potential infections.

Related: What to Wear in a Sauna

Traditional Sauna Practices Around the World

Different cultures have developed unique sauna footwear traditions:

Finnish tradition: “While footwear is recommended in the changing and shower areas for hygienic reasons, it is specifically prohibited inside the actual sauna chamber,” according to Finnish sauna etiquette.

Turkish hammams: Due to marble floors and flowing water, slip-resistant footwear is traditional in the bathing areas but not on the heated central stone.

Japanese bathing: Traditional zori sandals are often worn in changing areas, while the bathing spaces themselves are entered barefoot for cleanliness reasons.

Russian banyas: Traditional Russian banyas emphasize a natural and purifying experience, often conducted barefoot within the steam room. This aligns with the cultural belief in connecting with the four elements—fire, water, air, and earth—for physical and spiritual cleansing.

The Safety Case For Sauna Footwear

Research makes a strong case for wearing appropriate footwear in certain sauna areas.

Doctors recommend “the obligation to wear slip-resistant slippers” as a key safety measure that could significantly reduce injury rates [Kaiser et al. (2023)].

Sauna injury patterns reveal why footwear matters:

• Contusions/distortions: 41.2% of sauna injuries
• Wounds: 28.8%
• Fractures: 15.3%
• Concussions: 5.5%

Most of these injuries happen from slips and falls, not from burns, as many assume.

The best safety approach: Wear slip-resistant footwear in transition areas and follow facility guidelines inside the actual sauna chamber.

Related: Sauna Safety Guidelines

Hygiene Realities: Protecting Your Feet in Shared Spaces

“Pools, spas, and saunas can harbor athlete’s foot and fungal infections,” warns Rosanne Joseph-Anthony, Clinical Director & Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner. (Source: nypost.com)

The warm, humid conditions in saunas create perfect conditions for fungal growth. To protect yourself:

• Wear clean flip-flops in the shower and changing areas
• Wash feet thoroughly before and after sauna use
• Dry feet completely, especially between the toes
• Use antifungal powder if you’re prone to infections
• Never share towels or footwear

Research shows women typically have better hygiene practices than men in shared wet facilities, suggesting men may need to pay extra attention to foot care.²

Finding Your Perfect Sauna Footwear Solution

For most people, the best approach is context-based footwear:

For shower and changing areas:

• Clean, slip-resistant flip-flops or sandals
• Materials like EVA, silicone, or rubber that withstand heat
• Designs with drainage holes to prevent water pooling

For inside the sauna chamber:

• Private home sauna: Barefoot is fine (traditional approach)
• Public sauna: Follow facility rules (many prefer barefoot)
• Health concerns: Special heat-resistant, clean footwear

The key is making sure whatever touches the sauna bench is clean. In traditional Finnish saunas, you sit on a towel, not directly on the wood, with bare feet on clean wooden boards.

What About Socks?

Wearing socks alone in a sauna isn’t recommended because:

• They trap moisture against the skin
• They can become slippery on wooden surfaces
• They don’t provide enough protection against potential infections
• Heat trapped in socks can cause discomfort

If you’re uncomfortable going barefoot, clean flip-flops are a better option than socks.

The Best Approach for Public Saunas

For public facilities, a mixed approach works best:

1. Wear slip-resistant sandals in changing and shower areas
2. Clean your feet thoroughly before entering the sauna
3. Follow facility rules about footwear inside the sauna chamber
4. Have a second pair of clean sandals if footwear is permitted inside
5. Clean and dry your feet thoroughly after your session

This balanced approach respects tradition while prioritizing your safety and health.

Final Verdict

The question of wearing shoes in a sauna doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all answer.

By understanding the cultural traditions, safety data, and hygiene considerations, you can make smart choices about the right footwear for your specific situation.

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Resources

1. Kaiser, P., Seeher, U., Krasniqi, A., Keiler, A., Crazzolara, R., & Meryk, A. (2023). Injuries related to sauna bathing. Injury, 54(7), 110825. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2023.05.056 ↩︎
2. Cisoń, H., Kostrzewska, P., Łątka, N., Krajewski, P. K., Szepietowski, J., Konsur-Jankowska, A., Białynicki-Birula, R., & Reich, A. (2024). Awareness of people using municipal swimming pools about the prevention, symptoms, and treatment of athlete’s foot and onychomycosis before COVID-19. Postepy dermatologii i alergologii, 41(2), 226–231. https://doi.org/10.5114/ada.2024.136083 ↩︎

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