Aufguss is the sauna's most ceremonial ritual: scented water is poured on the hot stones in several rounds, and a towel spreads the heat until it sweeps through the whole sauna. At many spas and public saunas it is led by a sauna master – but you can do your own aufguss, at home or in your sauna tent.
Here we explain what aufguss is, what you need and how to do it step by step.
You don't need a sauna master – just a hot sauna, water, scent and a towel.
Heat up the sauna
Fire until the sauna is properly hot and the stones are hot. Keep an eye on the thermometer.
Mix the scent
Fill the ladle with water and add about 10 drops of sauna scent.
Pour it on the stones
Pour the water over the stones in rounds, one ladle at a time, so the steam builds up.
Wave the towel
Swirl the towel towards the ceiling to mix the air, then wave the heat towards the people in the sauna.
Cool down
Step outside and cool off with a dip in the lake or a cold shower.
Rest and repeat
Drink water and rest for a while. Repeat two or three rounds if you like.
The scent
The scent sets the mood
An aufguss often features several scents, one per round. Start with something fresh like eucalyptus or citrus, continue with forest or birch and finish with something softer.
Always mix the scent into water and never pour it undiluted onto the stones.
See our sauna scents
The towel
The towel spreads the heat
It is the waving that makes aufguss more than ordinary löyly. When you swirl the towel, the hot air under the ceiling mixes with cooler air further down, and when you wave it towards the bathers the wave of heat is clearly felt.
A large, sturdy towel moves the most air per stroke.
See the sauna towel
In the sauna tent
Aufguss in a sauna tent
A sauna tent works great for aufguss. The space is smaller than a large public sauna, so the heat builds up faster – start with fewer ladles and see how it feels.
Pour the water on the stones in the stove's stone magazine and keep the towel away from the stove and chimney when you wave.
About our wood-fired stovesChoose a scent
Equipment
A hot sauna and a sauna scent – and then this.
Aufguss in your own sauna tent
Complete sauna tents with stove – Gnistan for 2–5 people and Flamman for 4–8.
Aufguss is a sauna ceremony where scented water is poured over the hot stones in several rounds, while a towel is used to spread the heat through the sauna. The word is German and roughly means "infusion" or "pouring on".
An aufguss session usually takes around 10–15 minutes. Many do two or three sessions with cooling down and water in between.
The temperature doesn't rise that much – it's the humidity that increases, which is why the heat feels much stronger. Listen to your body and step out whenever you want.
Yes. All you need is a hot sauna, a bucket and ladle, sauna scent and a towel. In a sauna tent the heat builds up quickly, so start gently.
Löyly is the steam that forms when you pour water on the stones. Aufguss is a ceremony built around the löyly: several rounds, scents and towel waving that spreads the heat.
Classic aufguss scents are eucalyptus, mint, citrus and pine forest, but there are no rules. Try different scents in different rounds and find your favourite.
Our app SaunaLogger
SaunaLogger is our free app for sauna lovers. Log your sessions, see your sauna days in the calendar and follow how your sauna habit develops.
Free for iPhone and Android
