How to prepare a sauna infusion: fragrance, menthol crystals and dosage
Want to prepare a sauna infusion? This guide explains how to interpret the manufacturer's dosage instructions, use sauna fragrance and menthol crystals, and avoid common mistakes when pouring an infusion.
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·20 min read
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How much sauna fragrance goes into the ladle, and how do you use menthol crystals? Here you will find specific dosage information from labels, a table for calculating the water quantity and the steps of a prepared sauna infusion. The specific product and your stove's instructions are always decisive.
This guide by the saneq editorial team is based on original labels read on 30 September 2026, manufacturer documentation and guidance from BAG, BfR and sauna associations. The product examples come from our range; we have not carried out our own practical test. We discuss the scope of professional rules for public facilities separately.
What is the difference between sauna fragrance, concentrate, pure oil and menthol crystals?
The names of sauna fragrances are not dosage instructions. Even a product sold as a sauna infusion may be a concentrate. Check the intended use before adding anything to the water.
Product type
What you should know
Matching example
Sauna fragrance / sauna concentrate
Mixture of fragrance substances with a solubiliser, often alcohol. Dilute with water according to the product label.
Bath and whirlpool additives and room fragrances are not substitutes for an explicitly suitable sauna product. Even within the essential oils category, the individual label determines the intended use.
Sauna infusion dosage: how much sauna fragrance goes into the water?
The following table distinguishes confirmed quantities from missing manufacturer instructions. The information applies to the labels listed. Do not automatically apply it to other fragrances or packs.
Before measuring out the product: Never put it undiluted on the stove. Prepare the mixture outside the cabin, away from heat, sparks and flames; do not smoke. cosiMed Sauna fragrance and Piniol carry flammability warnings. Keep children away and avoid skin and eye contact; wear the protective gloves and eye/face protection required on the label. If swallowed, call Tox Info Suisse 145 immediately, do not induce vomiting and keep the packaging to hand: oil can enter the lungs in the process. In public facilities, check the house rules first.
General practice, not a manufacturer's dose: a few drops per ladle of water, stir well, use less if in doubt. Clarify the specific quantity and stove suitability beforehand; never use undiluted. Note the aspiration hazard.
Source of product information: original labels read on 30.09.2026. For pure oil, general practice does not replace specific directions for use; if these are missing, choose a suitable concentrate with clear dosage instructions. Stirring does not make oil permanently water-soluble.
After eye contact, immediately rinse gently with water for several minutes, remove contact lenses if possible and continue rinsing. For menthol crystals or a product with a serious eye damage warning, call 145 or seek medical help immediately. After skin contact, remove contaminated clothing and wash the skin with plenty of water. Seek medical advice if a rash develops or skin or eye irritation persists.
What do sauna fragrance per ladle and menthol per sauna session cost?
On the product page, cosiMed states up to 40 sauna sessions per 50 g. The calculation assumes you reach 40.
CHF 10.80 ÷ 40 = CHF 0.27 per sauna session; with fewer sessions, the cost is correspondingly higher.
Regular prices including VAT from our range, as at 30.09.2026; excluding shipping, water and energy. The 5 ml is a calculation assumption, not a conversion of a squirt or an additional dosage recommendation. Household spoons are not reliable measuring devices. Cost per ladle, per infusion and per sauna session refer to different units.
How much water do you need for an infusion?
The water quantity depends first on the stove instructions. Measure it; a given number of ladles means little without knowing their capacity. Calculate the cabin volume from length × width × height in metres.
Among its specifications for public saunas at 90 °C, the Swiss professional guideline RL 25-01 lists 30 g of water per m³. Entirely private saunas are expressly excluded from its scope. For the calculation aid below, our editorial team uses this lower value as the total quantity for the whole infusion. For water, it corresponds to approximately 30 ml per m³.
Cabin volume
Calculation using 30 ml per m³
Total quantity for the whole infusion
6 m³
6 × 30 ml
180 ml
8 m³
8 × 30 ml
240 ml
10 m³
10 × 30 ml
300 ml
12 m³
12 × 30 ml
360 ml
Not general approval for your stove: Treat the table as a cautious upper limit for gradual adjustment and start below it, provided the stove instructions allow an infusion. A lower limit specified by the manufacturer takes precedence. Divide the total quantity into small portions and do not multiply it again by the number of rounds.
Source: Schweizer Sauna Bund, RL 25-01 (version 1.0, in force since 01.02.2026), sections 5.4.2 and 7.5. The guideline gives the water quantity per round in one place and without reference to rounds in another; we deliberately use the stricter interpretation, meaning the total quantity for the whole infusion. The DGfdB confirms in its announcement on the 12/2025 edition the existing range of 20–30 g per m³; higher quantities of up to 60 g require an assessment of the specific cabin in that context. We do not derive a higher quantity for home use from this.
Warm or cold? Follow the product and stove instructions. There is no single water temperature for all products. Do not heat concentrates containing alcohol or assume boiling water is a universal recipe. For menthol, the label states that melting starts at 41 °C; this is not a temperature requirement for all infusion water.
How do you prepare and carry out a sauna infusion? Step by step
Check the stove and house rules. Only pour infusion water onto a sauna stove designed for this purpose. Read its requirements for water and additives. In a public facility, staff carry out the infusion according to the house rules; do not introduce your own product without permission.
Measure the water outside. Prepare the bucket, water, ladle and dosing aid outside the cabin. Plan the total quantity according to the stove instructions; the table above is not approval for every stove.
Measure out a suitable product. Read the specific label, including its protection instructions, keep children away and protect skin and eyes. Add the stated quantity to the water, never to the dry stove. Mix away from ignition sources; for menthol, use the water method explained below.
Prepare the mixture and put the container away. Mix according to the manufacturer's instructions. Close the original container and store it in a cool, protected place outside the sauna, inaccessible to children. Take only the prepared infusion water inside.
Agree on the timing. Start only when the stove is ready according to its instructions. Tell other people present about the fragrance and accept objections. Keep the exit clear; nobody has to stay until the end.
Pour slowly and spread the water. Use the ladle to distribute small portions over the intended stove stones. Do not pour directly onto heating elements or sensors. Keep your hand and face out of the rising steam.
Pause and stop if symptoms occur. Do not automatically empty the whole bucket. Waving a towel is not necessary for this simple guide. If you cough, your eyes burn or you feel unwell, stop, leave the cabin and inform staff; for severe symptoms, call 144.
End your sauna session. Leave the cabin according to how you feel. Allow time to cool down and take a break; the clock does not oblige you to keep pouring or stay.
1 Measure water per stove instructions; pour into bucket. 2 Outside, measure concentrate into water with a measuring cup per label. 3 Stir with ladle; bottle stays on bench outside door. 4 Take bucket into cabin; pour slowly with ladle over stones, never onto heating elements. Numbers show order, not quantities.
Image: saneq
How do you dose menthol crystals in the sauna?
The label consulted for cosiMed Menthol crystals states 1–2 crystals in the infusion water, then use of the ladle to pour it onto the stones. Start with one crystal on first use. Treat the quantity as a portion for the prepared infusion, not a top-up per ladle; crystals of uneven sizes do not allow a reliable weight in grams to be derived.
Protect your eyes and leave the tub outside: The original label warns of serious eye damage and skin irritation. Wear protective gloves and eye protection; do not touch the crystals with bare fingers. A clean dosing aid avoids direct contact. Prepare them outside the cabin in the infusion water and leave the supply tub outside, safely out of children's reach: according to the label, menthol starts to melt at 41 °C.
Do not put dry crystals directly on the stones or add another fragrance product. After eye contact, immediately rinse with water for several minutes, remove contact lenses that are easy to take out, continue rinsing and call 145 or seek medical help without delay. If swallowed, call 145 and do not induce vomiting; for severe symptoms, call 144. In a public sauna, the facility's approval is required.
Can you use pure essential oils or mix your own sauna infusion?
The photographed label of cosiMed Essential oil explicitly lists sauna use. However, it gives no sauna dosage. A few drops per ladle of water, stir well and use less if in doubt: this describes general practice, not a quantity confirmed by the manufacturer or approval for every type of oil or stove. Clarify the specific use beforehand; otherwise, a suitable infusion concentrate with a stated quantity is the better-documented choice.
Stirring does not make pure oil dissolve permanently in water. It can collect again as a concentrated layer. Infusion concentrates contain a solubiliser for this purpose, often alcohol. This is not a reason to make your own recipe at home using alcohol, kitchen ingredients or a herbal decoction. The Swiss guideline for public facilities excludes improvised mixtures without a recipe and fragrance substances without a safety data sheet; BAG warns against using essential oils for purposes other than those intended.
All protection rules apply even to a few drops: Never put pure oil on the stove or stones, prepare it only outside the cabin and away from ignition sources, protect eyes and skin and keep children away. The oil label consulted states an aspiration hazard: if swallowed, call 145 immediately; do not induce vomiting. The bottle stays outside. In public saunas, the facility decides which products are permitted.
If you want to try different fragrances, you can use the bottles in the sauna fragrance set individually. Read each bottle's label and try the fragrances one after another rather than mixing them.
Who should take particular care with scented infusions?
Infants and young children: BfR warns against camphor, eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil and menthol, particularly for children under three. Even small amounts around the mouth or nose can trigger a life-threatening spasm of the larynx and respiratory arrest. Do not infer a children's dose or general approval from the third birthday onwards.
Asthma, allergies, pregnancy and breastfeeding: BfR advises particular caution and keeping the use of essential oils to a minimum. BAG recommends avoiding room fragrances in the presence of sensitive individuals. Seek medical advice on your individual situation if needed; if in doubt, agree with other guests on an infusion without added fragrance.
Symptoms during the infusion: Leave the cabin if you experience irritation or feel unwell. In case of breathing difficulties, convulsions or impaired consciousness, call the emergency number 144. After swallowing a product, call 145 immediately and do not induce vomiting.
Warnings about substances must be distinguished from a sauna's admission rules. A facility may set its own age limits; permission to enter does not confirm tolerance of a particular fragrance substance.
What should you check on the label and safety data sheet?
Read the label for your fragrance and container. 'Natural' does not replace hazard labelling. Even the cosiMed labels consulted differ: Green Apple carries 'Warning', while Ice Mint carries 'Danger' with a warning of high flammability. The set's multipack and the pure oil also warn of aspiration hazard; menthol crystals warn of serious eye damage.
Purpose and dosage: Is sauna use explicitly listed? Does the quantity refer to a ladle, a litre of water or the whole infusion?
Hazards and protection: Check pictograms, the signal word, hazard and precautionary statements, and declared allergenic substances, such as limonene, citronellol or pinenes on the labels consulted here. Skin, eye and environmental hazards may differ by fragrance.
Legibility and language: Hazard text must be legible. Swiss labelling rules require at least one official language of the place where the product is supplied. Do not buy a product if you do not understand its use and warnings.
Safety data sheet: Is a complete, current SDS for the specific product available from the manufacturer or retailer? RL 25-01 requires one for the infusion products within its scope. We have not carried out a full SDS review of all fragrances offered.
Storage and disposal: Close the original container tightly and store it in a cool place, protected as instructed on the label, away from ignition sources and locked up out of children's reach. Do not decant into drinks bottles. Do not release leftovers into the environment, and follow the disposal instructions.
Why look so closely? A Swiss market inspection in 2022–2023 found missing or poorly legible hazard statements and missing information on allergenic ingredients. This is a dated inspection finding, not a statement about every product available today. The Blauer Tropfen mark can be an additional selection criterion for tested infusion products; we do not claim this certification for the products shown here.
How long and how often should you include an infusion in your sauna visit?
Question
Guidance from the sources
What this means for you
Length of a sauna session
The Deutscher Sauna-Bund states 8–15 minutes.
This is not a minimum duration. Leave the cabin earlier if you feel unwell; an infusion does not automatically extend your sauna session.
Number of sauna sessions
The Deutscher Sauna-Bund states three; the sauna rules of Hallenbad Bolligen (2004) state two to three.
Recommendations from associations and facilities, not a compulsory programme. Allow time for cooling down and breaks.
Duration and frequency of pouring
The stove instructions, water quantity, how you feel and, in public facilities, the infusion schedule are decisive.
There is no general number of minutes or rounds for a home sauna here. Do not keep adding water or fragrance according to the clock.
The timing rules in the Swiss RL 25-01 also concern the workload of infusion staff. Its requirement that infusions lasting less than six minutes may only be carried out after a risk assessment is not a minimum stay for you as a guest. The sauna rules of Hallenbad Bolligen date from 2004; the current house rules take precedence.
In public saunas, the house rules apply. RL 25-01 excludes liquids containing oil or high concentrations of alcohol without the facility's approval. Swiss Holiday Park explicitly prohibits guests' own sauna infusions; the sauna rules of Hallenbad Bolligen also prohibit guests' own products. Ask the facility beforehand and leave the procedure there to the responsible staff.
The following five products cover the forms explained here: sauna fragrance for dilution, individual fragrances in a set, menthol crystals, Piniol concentrate with a dosage in ml, and pure oil with the dosage limitation described. Choose an available variant of the product and check its label; the selection is not a ranking.
Sauna fragrance, menthol crystals and concentrate from our range
There is no universally valid number of drops. The cosiMed label consulted gives no sauna dose. A few drops per ladle of water is explicitly described here as general practice, not a manufacturer's instruction. Clarify the specific quantity and stove suitability before use; otherwise, choose a concentrate intended for this purpose with dosage instructions. Never put undiluted oil on the stove.
The Piniol Eucalyptus label consulted states 10–15 ml per 1 litre of water. Use only diluted and do not ingest. Mix outside the cabin, away from ignition sources, with the required skin and eye protection; keep children away. If swallowed, call 145 and do not induce vomiting. Dose other variants according to their own labels.
Follow the product and stove instructions; there is no single temperature requirement for all products. Do not heat concentrates containing alcohol. The 41 °C on the menthol label describes the point at which the substance starts to melt, not a general water temperature for sauna infusions.
For the cosiMed crystals described here, the label's method is: prepare 1–2 crystals in the infusion water, starting with one on first use, then pour onto the stones with the ladle. Do not add dry crystals directly. Prepare everything outside, protect skin and eyes and keep children away. After eye contact, rinse immediately and call 145 or seek medical help; if swallowed, call 145 and do not induce vomiting.
A fixed number cannot be applied to every cabin. Follow the stove instructions and the planned total water quantity. Do not add the same quantity again after each round. In public facilities, the infusion schedule and staff instructions apply; leave the cabin if you experience symptoms.
Only if both the device and the product are explicitly intended for this use. A sauna dosage does not establish a dose for an aroma cup. The labels consulted here do not confirm a quantity for this purpose. Do not pour water or fragrance products onto infrared emitters.
Keep the closed original containers in a cool place, protected according to the label and locked up out of children's reach, away from heat and ignition sources. Do not decant into drinks bottles. The Green Apple and Ice Mint labels consulted state 12 months after opening; the menthol tub states 24 months. Do not apply these periods to other products.
Still unsure? Tell us at saneq the specific product, fragrance and your stove model. We will help you find the relevant manufacturer documentation. A small pack or a set used one bottle at a time makes choosing a fragrance easier; the protection and dosage rules remain the same.
A massage after the sauna? Our guide to massage oil, lotion and cream explains which product is suitable.
