Clearlight Sanctuary 2 for wheelchair users with mobility limits

The Clearlight Sanctuary 2 for wheelchair users is one of the few two-person far-and-full-spectrum cabins that comes close to meeting real accessibility needs without expensive custom work. Its 47 by 45 inch interior footprint, removable wood bench, low 4 inch floor lip, and 17.5 inch external door swing give power-chair and manual-chair owners a fighting chance at independent transfers. In this 2026 buyer's guide we walk through whether the Sanctuary 2 actually fits a standard chair, what modifications Clearlight will (and won't) authorize, and the safety, control, and installation factors that matter most when mobility is limited.

Does the Sanctuary 2 actually fit a wheelchair?

The Sanctuary 2's interior measures roughly 47.5 inches wide by 45 inches deep, with a 75 inch ceiling. A standard adult manual wheelchair is 24 to 27 inches wide at the wheel hubs, and most consumer power chairs run 24 to 28 inches wide. With the lower bench removed, an average manual chair will physically fit through the doorway and roll inside the cabin. The catch: there is no level floor lift, integrated grab bar, or transfer bench from the factory, so you are essentially treating the sauna as a heated booth that you roll into and remain seated in.

That is actually a workable model for many users with paraplegia, multiple sclerosis, ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, post-polio syndrome, or partial spinal cord injuries who can drive their own chair but cannot reliably transfer to a wooden bench. Be honest with yourself about clearances: measure your chair's widest point (often the push rim or armrest, not the seat cushion), add 2 inches of working room on each side, and confirm you still clear the 17.5 inch swinging door.

Door width, threshold, and approach path

The Sanctuary 2's glass door opening is the single biggest gating factor. Clearlight lists the door at roughly 17.5 inches wide when fully open, which is narrower than the 32 inch ADA minimum for a habitable room. Many narrow rigid-frame wheelchairs (Quickie, TiLite, Permobil compact models) clear it, but wider bariatric and tilt-in-space chairs will not. If your chair is over 26 inches wide at any point, you will need to either transfer to a different mobility aid before entering or look at a larger Clearlight Sanctuary 3 or Sanctuary Y instead.

The floor threshold is the second issue. The cabin sits on the included raised floor panel, which adds about 4 inches of step-up. Power chairs cannot climb a 4 inch lip unaided. The fix is a short aluminum or rubber threshold ramp rated for your chair's loaded weight, ideally at a 1:12 slope. For a 4 inch rise that means 48 inches of ramp run, so make sure your room has at least 4 to 5 feet of clear approach in front of the door. Our home sauna installation walkthrough covers slab-level versus framed-floor installs in more detail.

Bench removal and transfer setup

Clearlight customer service generally confirms that the lower bench in the Sanctuary 2 is removable and that doing so does not void the warranty, as long as you do not modify the cabin walls or heater wiring. Removing the bench gives you roughly 45 by 45 inches of clear floor — enough for one chair plus a small folding transfer stool if a caregiver assists.

If you can self-transfer, plan a transfer surface that matches your chair's seat height (usually 17 to 19 inches). A simple teak shower bench rated for 300 lbs and treated for high humidity works well; the Sanctuary 2's far infrared heaters operate at radiant temperatures that will not scorch standard sealed teak. Position the bench so the back rests against the rear heater panel side wall (never directly in front of an active heater face), giving you a clear 90 degree pivot from chair to bench.

Control placement and reach

The Sanctuary 2 ships with a digital wall-mounted control panel and a wireless tablet. The wall panel is mounted at roughly 55 inches from the floor by default, which is above the comfortable reach zone for most seated users (the ADA recommends 15 to 48 inches). The good news is that the wireless tablet eliminates the problem entirely: you keep it on your lap or in a chair-side caddy and run the heat, lights, music, and timer from a seated position. Confirm with Clearlight that the tablet model included with your unit has the Bluetooth and chromotherapy controls you need before ordering, because the bundled accessories have changed across production runs.

Users with limited grip strength or tremor (Parkinson's, ALS, advanced MS) should ask Clearlight about pairing the sauna with a voice assistant via the unit's app, or about a third-party smart-plug bypass for the chromotherapy lights and Bluetooth speakers.

Heater layout and skin-contact safety

The Sanctuary 2 uses Clearlight's True Wave II carbon and ceramic heaters on the back wall, side walls, front wall, and under the bench. For an ambulatory user this distributes heat evenly. For a seated wheelchair user, the under-bench heater is largely wasted, and the rear-wall heaters become the dominant source. That is fine for warming the torso, but watch two issues. First, the heater surface temperature on the True Wave panels can reach 150 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Anyone with reduced sensation below a spinal cord injury level must keep at least 6 inches of clearance from any heater face to prevent contact burns they will not feel.

Second, autonomic dysreflexia is a real risk for users with SCI at T6 or above. Start with shorter sessions of 10 to 15 minutes at 110 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, hydrate aggressively, and monitor blood pressure before and after. Always clear new sauna use with your physiatrist before your first session.

EMF, ELF, and sensory considerations

Clearlight publishes third-party EMF readings under 3 milligauss and ELF readings under 200 V/m on the Sanctuary line, which is among the lowest in the industry. For users with implanted medical devices — pacemakers, vagus nerve stimulators, intrathecal baclofen pumps, sacral neuromodulators — these numbers are reassuring but not a substitute for clearance from the device manufacturer. Ask your cardiologist, physiatrist, or pump rep specifically about radiant heat exposure and skin temperatures of 100 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit, not just the EMF spec. If low-EMF design is your top priority, our low-EMF infrared sauna roundup compares Clearlight to Sunlighten, Dynamic, and JNH on independently tested readings.

Installation, electrical, and floor planning

The Sanctuary 2 draws about 15 amps on a standard 120 volt 20 amp dedicated circuit. That is a meaningful advantage for accessibility-focused installs because most ground-floor laundry rooms, master bath alcoves, or accessible-bedroom corners already have or can easily get a 20 amp dedicated line. You do not need a 240 volt sub-panel run like some larger commercial models require.

Plan the room layout around your chair's turning radius. A 60 inch turning circle is the ADA standard, but most consumer chairs need 54 to 60 inches of clear floor in front of the sauna door to line up the approach. Add the 48 inch ramp run mentioned earlier and you are looking at a minimum 90 by 60 inch clear approach zone in addition to the sauna's 49 by 47 inch footprint. If you are remodeling, our infrared sauna buying guide has a printable space-planning worksheet.

Caregiver and emergency exit planning

If you live alone or sauna unsupervised, install a wireless panic button (Life Alert, Bay Alarm, or a $30 Z-Wave button on a smart hub) inside the cabin within seated reach. The Sanctuary 2's glass door opens outward and uses a magnetic catch, so it can be pushed open from inside with very low force — important if a user becomes lightheaded or hypotensive mid-session.

For users with caregivers, plan the door swing so the caregiver can stand outside the cabin and reach in to assist without obstructing the user's exit path. Two-person sessions are technically possible inside the Sanctuary 2 with the bench removed plus a chair, but it gets cramped fast.

Who should choose a different sauna instead

The Clearlight Sanctuary 2 for wheelchair users works well if you have a narrow-frame chair, can roll over a short ramp, and either self-transfer or stay seated through the session. It does not work for chairs over 26 inches wide, users who need a side-entry hoist or ceiling lift, or anyone who needs to lie supine during their session. In those cases consider a Clearlight Sanctuary Y outdoor cabin with a wider door, an infrared sauna blanket used in bed, or a custom-built ADA-compliant commercial cabin from a sauna contractor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a wheelchair fit inside the Clearlight Sanctuary 2 with the bench removed?

Yes, most narrow-frame manual and compact power wheelchairs under 26 inches wide will fit through the 17.5 inch door and inside the 47 by 45 inch cabin once the lower bench is removed. Bariatric chairs, tilt-in-space chairs, and standing power chairs typically will not. Measure your chair's widest point — usually the push rims or armrests — before ordering.

Does removing the Sanctuary 2's bench void the Clearlight warranty?

Clearlight customer service confirms that removing the unsecured lower bench for accessibility does not void the lifetime warranty as long as you do not modify the cabin walls, heater panels, or wiring. Get this confirmation in writing from your sales rep and keep the original bench so the unit can be restored if you ever resell it.

How do you get a power wheelchair over the Sanctuary 2's raised floor?

The included floor panel adds about 4 inches of step-up, which a power chair cannot climb unassisted. Use a 48 inch aluminum or rubber threshold ramp at a 1:12 slope, rated for your chair's loaded weight (chair plus user plus batteries — usually 350 to 500 lbs total). EZ-Access and Prairie View are common ADA-rated brands.

Is far infrared safe for users with spinal cord injuries?

It can be, but with precautions. The two biggest risks are contact burns from heater panels (because sensation is reduced below the injury level) and autonomic dysreflexia at injuries T6 and above. Maintain 6 inches of clearance from any heater face, start with 10 to 15 minute sessions at 110 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, hydrate, and clear sauna use with your physiatrist first.

Does the Sanctuary 2 need a 240 volt circuit?

No. The Sanctuary 2 runs on a standard 120 volt 20 amp dedicated circuit, drawing about 15 amps at peak. That makes it easier to install in retrofitted accessible bedrooms and laundry rooms than larger 240 volt cabins. A licensed electrician should still verify the circuit is dedicated and that the GFCI breaker is appropriate for your jurisdiction.

Can a caregiver operate the Sanctuary 2 from outside the cabin?

Yes. The wireless tablet that ships with the Sanctuary 2 controls heat, timer, chromotherapy, and Bluetooth audio from up to 30 feet away, so a caregiver can monitor and adjust the session without entering the cabin. Pair it with an inside-the-cabin panic button so the user can call for help if needed.

How does the Sanctuary 2 compare to Sunlighten's accessible models?

Both Clearlight and Sunlighten offer low-EMF full-spectrum cabins in the 2-person class, with similar door widths and floor footprints. Clearlight tends to have a slightly lower threshold and a lifetime warranty; Sunlighten offers a slightly larger interior in some Solo and mPulse models. Our Sunlighten vs Clearlight comparison looks at accessibility features side by side.