Not so long ago, sauna suits have been very popular among the wrestlers and some other sportsmen as a quick method of weight loss. And even though these suits were later banned for the potential danger to health, some people may still use them nowadays.
But if you are an owner of a sauna suit, you have probably been wondering how to clean sauna suits correctly without ruining the material they are made of. Some people insist that sauna suits should only be washed manually since it is the safest way of cleaning the suit.
Other people say that it is ok to wash this suit in a washing machine. Where is the truth?
In this article, we will try to find it for you. You are going to learn how to wash sauna suits correctly and also, you will find out the two alternative washing methods that can be used.
How Do You Wash a Sauna Suit?
The very first sauna suits were made of rubber which made it rather complicated for their owners to keep the suits clean.
However, modern options are way simpler to maintain, fortunately! Newer sauna suits are made with PVC or nylon-coated cloth instead of rubber. These newer materials make the suits much easier to clean.
You may still be wondering how you clean the material. For the modern sauna suits, you can either opt for hand washing as the way to clean the suit or simply toss it in the washing machine. Either way, it is important to frequently clean the suit to prevent bacteria from growing on it!
Below, you can find a detailed description of each cleaning method.
Like this, you will have a better understanding of which option is more suitable for your particular case. Let’s start with the more effort-consuming and more extended way of washing your sauna suit – manual washing.
How to Wash a Sauna Suit Manually?
If you want to hand wash your sauna suit, always keep one important nuance in mind.
Since sauna suits can be made with a variety of synthetic materials, it is very important to read the care label that is on your sauna suit before you start washing the item. The care label will tell you how to wash the suit and give you drying instructions as well.
For example, the label may instruct you to only hand wash the suit and hang it to dry.
In case you don’t find any care tag (which can happen if you have accidentally cut it off, for instance), look for any care signs on the inside of the sauna suit. Some manufacturers print those on the inner side of the collar, for example, where the label is attached.
Once you figure out what material your sauna suit is made of, you can proceed to the washing process.
Spray the Sauna Suit With Water
In order to keep your sauna suit as clean as possible, remember to rinse it with water after each use. There is no need to scrub, wring, or wash the suit every day! Just be in the habit of washing it with water by rinsing the item thoroughly.
Wash the Sauna Suit With Detergent
However, mere rinsing is not enough for keeping your sauna suit clean, of course. Using some detergent is mandatory anyway.
We recommend you set out two tubs of water and put a mild laundry detergent into one of them.
Then, follow these simple steps:
- Place the sauna suit into the tub with the detergent
- Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes
- Gently rub the suit to loosen any dirt and grime
- Rinse the suit in the tub that only contains water
- Squeeze out excess water
Dry Your Sauna Suit Correctly After Washing It!
Drying the item correctly is the same important as washing it properly. All of you probably know that we tend to ruin our garments by drying them wrong! So in order to avoid such a scenario with your sauna suit, make sure you follow these simple drying rules.
- Always hang dry the sauna suit
- Regardless of whether you washed the sauna suit with soap or just with water, you should hang it up while it is still wet
- Let it dry on the hanger overnight or until it is totally dry
- You can also hang the sauna suit on the clothesline in the sun, but check the manufacturer’s instructions on your suit before you do that!
Like this, now you have a complete guide on how to wash sauna suits manually. Of course, most of you would prefer a quicker method, but anyway, it is good to know this one as well as an alternative option.
Who knows, maybe one day you might need to wash your sauna suit in a place that has no washing machine!
Moreover, hand washing is always a good option if your sauna suit is missing its care tag and you are not sure what washing cycle it is correct to use.
How to Wash Your Sauna Suit In a Washing Machine?
Luckily, sauna suits can also be washed in a washing machine. However, you can’t just toss the item into the barrel and press the START button. There are certain rules that should be followed if you want the item to come out of the washing machine in a wearable state.
Select the Right Settings
Read the care label on your sauna suit to find out the recommended water temperature for washing your item. Then, set the water temperature on your washing machine according to the recommendations of the care tag.
It is also important to select the correct washing cycle.
We recommend you opt for either a gentle or delicate cycle for washing the sauna suit. Avoid using spin cycles for the suit, since this may be rough on the fabric, thus leading to its damage!
Use Gentle Laundry Detergent
Sauna suits should be washed with the use of a gentle laundry product! Add just a little gentle laundry detergent and place the sauna suit in the washing machine.
Close the lid or door and start the cycle. It is recommended that you wash the sauna suit with detergent at least once a week if the suit is used frequently. It may happen that you don’t have the necessary type of detergent right now though.
Should this happen, don’t worry. If you can’t find gentle laundry detergent, you can use regular laundry detergent.
Hang Dry the Sauna Suit
Regardless of whether you washed the sauna suit with soap or just with water, you should hang it up while it is still wet. Let it dry on the hanger overnight or until it is totally dry. You can also hang the sauna suit on the clothesline in the sun, but check the manufacturer’s instructions on your suit.
Well, now you have two alternative options of washing your sauna suit correctly without causing any damage to the material it is made of. As you can see, both methods are very simple. It’s only the manual washing that might take you more time, especially if the suit is very dirty.
Anyway, now that you know how to keep your sauna suit clean, doing it will be no problem for you.
Different Sauna Suit Materials And How They Influence the Washing Method
As you already know, modern sauna suits come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and materials.
And the material your sauna suit is made of will determine the best cleaning method. Typically, your sauna suit may be made of one of the following materials nowadays:
- PVC
- Nylon
- Neoprene
Below, we are going to explain to you how each of these materials should be washed.
PVC
Some sauna suits are made with PVC (or polyvinyl chloride), which is thin and flexible plastic. Sauna suits made from PVC should be washed by hand only. Do not put PVC sauna suits in the dryer, or use an iron since warm or hot temperatures may also melt the plastic, damaging the material!
For best drying results, you should pat dry the item with a towel to avoid water spots, and then hang it up in a cool dry place.
Why avoid washing machines?
See, stretching of the clothing may damage the thin plastic so washing machines may do more damage than cleaning. Also, when washing PVC suits, make sure that you use only small amounts of liquid detergent.
Like this, you will make sure that it is rinsed thoroughly without leaving any build-up residue behind and creating staining or wear on the clothing.
Nylon
If your sauna suit is made of nylon, you should follow slightly different instructions. Unlike PVC, nylon can be washed in the washing machine, but you should still be cautious. If you machine wash this material too frequently, it can cause pilling which will eventually damage the suit!
This is why make sure you use either a delicate or gentle cycle when using a washing machine, and use cold water. Applying bleach is also not recommended and even forbidden.
Another good thing about the nylon suits is that they can be dried in a dryer. When using a dryer to dry nylon, very low temperatures are preferable since they are safer for the fabric. But if you want to get the best effect and keep the suit safe, you should opt for the “no heat” setting (tumble dry setting).
Nylon will dry quickly, so keep an eye on it! It shouldn’t need much more than 15 minutes if using heat.
Neoprene
Neoprene is basically a synthetic rubber. If your sauna suit is made of this material, make sure you are using the following care instructions:
- It’s best to keep neoprene out of the washing machine since it may break down the material over time
- Hand washing is best for neoprene
- Use warm soapy water and rinse it thoroughly afterward
- Do not put neoprene in the dryer!
- Hang dry the suit, avoiding direct sunlight or hot temperatures
Now that you know the specifics of each material used for sauna suits, it will be easier for you to pick the right washing method for your item depending on what it is made of.
What Is a Sauna Suit?
Now some of you may start wondering what a sauna suit actually is. And this is quite a normal interest, especially if you have never used or even seen this item before. According to the name, you might assume that a sauna suit is a type of garment that should be worn in saunas, like a bathrobe. However, it is not like that!
A sauna suit is a garment that is made from waterproof fabric that was designed to specifically make the one who wears it sweat profusely. A sauna suit is also often called a “rubber suit” because the early types were made of rubber or rubberized cloth.
Now, modern sauna suits are typically made of PVC or coated nylon cloth.
The construction of sauna suits is typically in the style of a waterproof sweat suit. It consists of a pullover jacket and drawstring pants. The closures at the waist, neck, wrists, and ankles are all elasticated in order to help retain body heat and moisture within the garment.
In some sauna suits, the jacket also includes a hood to provide additional retention of body heat.
Why would anyone wear a garment like this, you may wonder? Well, the initial purpose of wearing sauna suits was to lose weight! These suits were widely used by wrestlers, however, because of a few lethal cases and the general harm that they caused to human health, sauna suits were banned in 2013.
So, these are all the life hacks, tips, and recommendations that you may find useful for washing your sauna suit correctly. Even though this item needs very simple care and easy maintenance, there are still certain nuances that should be taken into consideration.
For example, the material your suit is made of. But with our guide, you will easily keep your sauna suit in the ideal state!
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