Let’s get the first thing out of the way: Sauna is pronounced SOWnuh, not SAWnuh. The incorrect pronunciation is sure to “trigger” any Finn you meet, so beware!
The sauna, or banya in Russia, used to fill incredibly important functions in remote areas, and is a fine example of an older technology that we should all be familiar with. Nowadays saunas are seen more as a luxury, at least in America, but in Finland are considered a necessity. Once you learn some of the properties of saunas I think you’ll see why you should at very least know how to build one. I’ll also go through a few tips for how to properly construct a sauna, although no 2 saunas are alike. Throughout this article, I’ll be talking specifically about wood fired saunas, as obviously an electric or gas sauna isn’t viable for post-TEOTWAWKI.
The old saying is: 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without shelter, 3 days without water, 3 weeks without food. we’ve all probably heard this. But how long can one go without bathing? I don’t know there is any right answer to that question, but what I do know is that without washing properly you are at much greater risk from sickness or having a fellow group member smother you do death with a pillow because you smell so bad. In fact, it is theorized that the Black Plague largely passed over Russia due to their fondness for banya baths. Bathing is going to be a longer term survival issue, and there’s no point of saving yourself from the cannibal bikers if you die later of a compromised immune system. Don’t think of cleanliness as a luxury, but as a necessity.
