Can You Wear Flip-Flops or Shoes in a Sauna or Steam Room?

Short answer

Leave street shoes and gym shoes outside the sauna and steam room. Many gyms ban them: YMCA San Francisco prohibits shoes in its saunas, and YMCA of Wilson allows only bare feet or water socks. Flip-flops or shower shoes are useful on the way there, because dermatologists recommend them in locker rooms and showers to avoid athlete’s foot.

Walking barefoot through a gym or spa can feel strange, so many people wonder whether flip-flops or shoes are allowed in the sauna. Below are real rules from gyms, what dermatologists say about feet in wet public areas, and simple tips for public and home saunas.

Table of Contents

What real gym rules say about shoes in the sauna

Footwear rules at selected gyms (posted rules checked 21.10.2026)
Gym	Footwear rule	Other rules
YMCA San Francisco	Shoes and clothing other than swim attire are prohibited in the sauna	Shower before entering; no oils, lotions or paper; no phone or camera use
Channel Islands YMCA	Shoes, street clothes, workout clothes and rubberized clothing are prohibited in the sauna and steam room	Swimsuit required; bring a towel to sit on
YMCA of Wilson	Bare feet or water socks only, no shoes of any kind	Swim attire or athletic apparel
24 Hour Fitness	Shower shoes are all right in the pool area; street clothes and shoes are not appropriate	Appropriate clothing and footwear required in its facilities

The pattern is clear: shoes stay outside the hot room. Rules for flip-flops vary more, so look for the sign at the door. If your gym has a sauna, our guides such as YMCA saunas and 24 Hour Fitness saunas list more house rules.

Why shoes stay out of the sauna

Shoes carry dirt from the gym floor or the street into a warm, moist room where people sit and lie on the benches. Sauna makers design floors to be cleaned easily: Harvia recommends concrete, tile or a poured floor that is washed with a disinfectant about once a week. Harvia advises against carpet and wooden duckboards, because in the moist conditions of a sauna they can breed bacteria and spread athlete’s foot.

Flip-flops in the locker room and shower

The place where flip-flops really help is on the way to the sauna. The American Academy of Dermatology says most people catch athlete’s foot from walking barefoot in moist public places such as pool decks and locker rooms. It recommends wearing shower shoes, flip-flops or sandals around pools, gyms, showers and locker areas, and keeping your feet dry afterwards.

Wear clean flip-flops or shower shoes from the locker to the shower and the sauna door.
If the rules say bare feet, leave them neatly by the door, not inside on the floor.
If flip-flops are allowed inside, keep them on the floor and never put them on the benches.
Dry your feet well after your last shower, especially between the toes.

Sauna etiquette for your feet

Finnish sauna guides focus on being clean rather than on footwear. InfoFinland asks you to shower well before the sauna and to cover the bench with a sauna bench towel before sitting down. MyHelsinki gives the same advice and points to the disposable seat covers that many public saunas offer. Sitting on a towel keeps sweat and feet off the wood. More etiquette in gym sauna etiquette and shower before or after the sauna.

In your own home sauna

At home you set the rules. Going barefoot in the hot room and keeping slippers outside keeps the floor cleaner. If your sauna has a cold floor or sits outdoors, a pair of clean slippers used only for the sauna path is a simple compromise. See how to clean a sauna for floor care.

What else to leave outside

Gym rules ban more than shoes. YMCA San Francisco prohibits oils, lotions and other beauty products, newspapers, books and other paper, and the use of phones and cameras in its saunas. Channel Islands YMCA bans paper, reading material, electronic devices and oils. Read more in can you bring a book into the sauna, can you bring your phone and what to wear in a sauna.

Frequently asked questions

Can you wear shoes in a sauna?

Usually not. YMCA San Francisco and Channel Islands YMCA both prohibit shoes in their saunas, and YMCA of Wilson allows only bare feet or water socks. Shoes bring dirt onto a floor that should stay clean. Leave them in the locker room.

Can you wear flip-flops in a sauna?

It depends on the house rules. Some gyms allow only bare feet or water socks in the hot room, so flip-flops stay at the door. In your own sauna it is your choice. Wherever you are, wear clean flip-flops or shower shoes in the locker room and showers.

Should you wear flip-flops in a gym locker room or shower?

Yes. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends shower shoes, flip-flops or sandals around pools, gyms, showers and locker rooms, because the fungus that causes athlete’s foot may be on the floor. It also advises keeping your feet dry.

Can you wear shoes in a steam room?

Generally no. Channel Islands YMCA, for example, prohibits shoes, street clothes and workout clothes in both its sauna and its steam room. Check the posted rules, and ask staff if water shoes are allowed.

Can you wear water socks in the sauna?

At some gyms, yes. YMCA of Wilson’s sauna rules say bare feet or water socks only, no shoes of any kind. Other gyms list only swim attire, so check before you go in.

What else should you leave outside the sauna?

Common gym rules also ban lotions and oils, paper such as books and magazines, and phone use. YMCA San Francisco also requires everyone to shower before entering the sauna.

Sources

This guide is based on the posted rules of the linked gyms and on guidance from the American Academy of Dermatology and Harvia, checked on October 21, 2026. Rules differ from gym to gym and change over time, so always follow the signs at your sauna.