A Guide to Masturbating in Water

When it comes to enhancing masturbation, there are thousands of tools available, from vibrators to butt plugs — but some of the best masturbation aids around may actually already be inside your own home. Specifically, your bathroom. I first discovered masturbation using the jets of my family’s jacuzzi, and soon after, I realized I could lie under the shower or bath water and let it massage my clitoris, obtaining not only an orgasm but also a supremely relaxing experience. Little did I know that for decades (maybe even centuries), people with vulvas have been masturbating using faucets, showerheads, pool and jacuzzi jets, and more. Here are some ways you can take advantage of water to enhance your solo pleasure.

Jets

Whether in a pool or jacuzzi, jets provide intense pressure known to deliver strong orgasms to clitoris-owners. “Some folks enjoy masturbating with jets because of the pulse sensation,” says Marla Renee Stewart, sexologist at Velvet Lips. “Similar to air pulse vibrators, the jets allow periodic stimulation that folks can put their genitals against to escalate to orgasm.” It may take some trial and error to find the right position. “I raise myself higher so I feel it against my buttocks, then move even higher and spread my legs further apart,” says adult actress and radio host Tanya Tate. “If I hold on to the edge of the jacuzzi, I can then control how close I want to hold my spread vaginal area to the most powerful part of the jet.” My favorite ways to masturbate with a jet are to lean against it, facing it, so that the jet is pointed right at my clitoris, or turn away from it so that it’s hitting my vagina and clitoris from behind. Whatever you prefer, the most important thing is finding a position that’s comfortable for you to sustain, says Stewart.

Faucets

“Bath faucets are very similar to bullet or wand vibrators in that they give continuous stimulation,” says Stewart. “Many people find pleasure by lying down and placing their vulva directly in front of the faucet.” If your faucet isn’t positioned in a way that allows for this, you can attach a product like the WaterSlyde to it so that the water flows onto your vulva without any strange contortions. One plus to masturbating with bath faucets is that the bath itself creates a relaxing environment conducive to pleasure. To create even more of a mood, Stewart suggests putting on music or lighting candles. “If you are concerned about your water consumption, you can use that time to fill up the tub and then follow through with a personal water jet,” she says — a cordless water flosser can be used this way. According to Good Vibrations staff sexologist Carol Queen, a few other ways to emulate this same sensation are masturbating using a garden hose, a bidet, or a showerhead attachment for rectal rinsing (which can also be used on the vulva — just wash it first!).

Showerheads

“I never used a showerhead to come until last year, and holy fuck, is it amazing,” sex coach and sexologist Kristen Thomas recounts.

My partner has a detachable showerhead at his place and when he made me come in two minutes, I could hardly stand it.

Many people can testify that this is an extra-powerful form of stimulation. “The showerhead will generally provide a lighter flow of water that will cover more area than the faucet flow does,” says Queen. “If you have a showerhead with a valve, you can switch to milder or stronger flow pressure — you might experiment with that. Do not try to climb up there to get close to the showerhead. No shower in the known universe is equipped to let you do that safely.” Detachable showerheads are the easiest to maneuver for masturbation, but depending on the water pressure of your showerhead, lying underneath a non-detachable showerhead can also work (it definitely has for me).

Toys

Lots of sex toys are waterproof, so you can bring them into the bath, shower, pool, or wherever you like. Stewart recommends the LELO Gigi 2 G-Spot Massager for a waterproof toy that works both internally and externally. A few of Queen’s favorites are the Eden Ripple, Wink Plus, MiMi Soft, Volta, and Sundaze. If you’re using jets or a faucet for clitoral stimulation, an internal vibrator like Dame’s Arc or a dildo can provide added G-spot stimulation. Silicone lube will help avoid friction with penetration and won’t wash off as easily as water-based lube.

Precautions

When you’re masturbating with jets, a faucet, or a showerhead, it’s safest to aim it on your clitoris only, rather than inside your vagina. “The danger is air getting into the uterus and beyond; air that gets into the circulatory system can put you in danger of embolism,” says Queen. “This is rare! But if embolism happens, it's bad — possibly fatal-bad. On top of that, even if the flow of water isn't entering the vagina with enough pressure to cause that kind of trouble, it's basically acting like a douche — and douching is not good for you.” It’s also possible that chemicals in water could cause irritation of the vulva. “I would recommend that people who have noticed being easily irritated or who get many yeast infections proceed with caution,” says Queen. “A hack worth exploring: Wear a pair of Lorals when you jump into the water! This will alter the way the water jet or flow feels on the clit and vulva, but it will help protect those areas, too.” At the very least, make sure to dry off afterward. “Your vulva and vagina being in a wet environment for too long can cause a yeast infection,” Stewart explains. As long as you take these precautions, masturbating in water can open you up to whole new ways of feeling pleasure — and it may add some extra excitement to your sex life, whether you have a partner or not.