How to Squirt: What Finally Worked for Me (and What Experts Say) - VICE

We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more here.

For many women, being able to squirt is a hopeful dream that many are trying to untangle themselves from because, well… it’s intimidating. Between the feeling that you might pee on your lover and trying to reduce anxiety, it’s a loaded experience. When you Google “How to squirt,” you’ll be flooded with dozens of Reddit threads and articles basically asking if everyone can squirt, or if their vagina’s broken. 

I spoke with Womanizer‘s sex experts, Dr. Jessica O’Reilly and  Dr. Shamyra Howard, and they gave me every tip and trick they had in their back pocket. I’m proud to say, I SQUIRTED. It only took 7 years, but I did it. 

It takes a little combination of relaxed arousal, blended clitoral and G-spot stimulation, and not holding back the urge to pee. This guide is for women and people with vulvas who are curious about squirting, anxious about it, or stuck.

A 2015 study by Salama and colleagues in The Journal of Sexual Medicine describes squirting as a phenomenon where “some women report the discharge of a noticeable amount of fluid from the urethra.” Emphasis on some. So no, your body isn’t broken if you’ve never squirted, despite trying.

It’s an experience that engages your entire body and can come with the loudest orgasm you’ve ever had. It might be a huge splash or a small spurt of liquid.

Not exactly. In the study above, researchers tracked bladder movement and biochemical changes before, during, and after release, and concluded that “squirting is essentially the involuntary emission of urine during sexual activity.” 

After squirting, participants’ bladders were empty, which led researchers to believe some urine was mixed into the fluid released during sex. But it isn’t purely urine. It also includes prostatic secretions, sometimes called female prostate secretions.

You’ll often see the two terms used as if they mean the same thing. Some researchers argue they don’t. A 2022 narrative review in Clinical Anatomy by Pastor calls them “similar but completely different phenomena.” In general, female ejaculation refers to a smaller amount of thicker, whitish fluid tied to the Skene’s glands (the “female prostate”), while squirting refers to a larger release of clearer fluid that appears to be largely diluted urine. Many people experience one, both, or neither, and in everyday searches the words get mixed together. 

In conversation with Dr. Howard and Dr. Reilly, one piece of advice kept resurfacing: don’t be afraid to pee. Putting pressure on yourself to squirt is not the wisest decision, either.

Dr. Reilly says, “A lot of people put pressure on themselves to ‘achieve’ squirting like it’s the gold medal of sex, when really it’s just one possible response to arousal, pelvic floor relaxation, and stimulation.”

This is the method that finally worked for me, as guided by advice from Dr. O’Reilly and Dr. Howard. Bodies vary, of course. So treat it as a starting point, not an exact script.

Start with a quick trip to the bathroom. It can help you relax and puts the “am I about to pee?” worry to rest before you begin. Then set the scene: grab a towel or a waterproof blanket and some water-based lube.

If you’re concerned about bedding getting wet, a waterproof blanket like Lovehoney’s Luxury Waterproof Throw absorbs liquids so you don’t have to worry about stains. It’s also quite discreet in appearance, which means you can leave it out without giving your sex life habits away. In hindsight, I absolutely should have had one present because I definitely squirted on my couch. Sorry to my guests.

Lube matters too, especially if you’re using a clit sucker on your own, since a drop gives you a good seal (and a good seal equals amazing suction). Water-based lubricant is the safest bet with silicone sex toys, and Shibari’s Aloe Water-Based lubricant is my current favorite. It’s silky smooth and wipes off easily, so you’re not spending extra time on cleanup.

Skipping ahead is the fastest way to stall. 

Dr. O’Reilly says squirting is “just one possible response to arousal, pelvic floor relaxation, and stimulation,” so the goal here is arousal, not the finish line. 

I laid down in missionary for foreplay and received oral sex, which helps me relax. That helped get me out of my head and stop forcing the intention of squirting, and just relax into the experience.

The G-spot (or “G-zone,” as Dr. Howard calls it) is usually described as an area on the front wall of the vagina, toward your belly button, about one to three inches inside. It often feels slightly textured or ridged compared to the surrounding wall, and it can feel different from person to person.

Explore it with clean, washed hands (or a curved toy) once you’re already aroused, since everything tends to feel more sensitive by then.

This is the step that made the difference for me. 

If you’d like to squirt, our sex experts suggest exploring blended orgasms. “Blended orgasms can increase overall arousal intensity because you’re stimulating multiple pleasure zones at once, usually the clitoris and internal areas at the same time,” Dr. Howard says.

“That combination can create stronger pelvic contractions and the kind of full-body release that some people associate with squirting. A lot of people need more clitoral stimulation than they realize, even when they’re focused on penetration. The key is consistent arousal. The more aroused you are, the more orgasm potential you have, and that increases the chance of squirting.”

This is where you’ll experience the “explosion of fluids,” as Dr. O’Reilly calls it.

My partner and I used a clit sucker, the Womanizer Next, and added finger stimulation to reach a blended orgasm, as both experts suggested. The Next is the closest to oral sex I’ve found in a sex toy, and it has a smooth rise between settings, which helped me start building toward a climax.

Read my full review of the Womanizer Next.

For the G-spot part, think of a beckoning “come here” motion with your fingers, curling toward the front wall. Start with light, steady pressure and build it gradually, keeping the clitoral stimulation going the whole time. My partner and I made sure to apply more internal pressure by teasing my G-spot and keeping up oral sex (while stimulating the clitoris in between).

By this point, I ditched the toy for her mouth. We did this for a good while, almost to the point where I felt too much stimulation.

At some point, the urge to pee shows up. This is the moment most people stop. Dr. Howard warned: “A lot of people mistake the urge to pee during G-zone stimulation as a sign to stop, when for some bodies, that sensation can actually be part of the build-up.”

By far the best advice she could’ve given me: “If you feel like you have to pee, let it go. Anything that happens during sex is all for pleasure.” 

And would you know it, the urge to pee was there. I instinctively tried to stop, but remembered this was the moment I had been waiting for. The pressure internally was so good I couldn’t fight the urge to squirt if I tried.

If you’re playing solo, a dual stimulation toy can mimic the finger-and-oral combination. I tested the Womanizer Next and the Magic Wand for this guide. The dual stimulators below are expert-suggested picks:

Womanizer’s Next Duo is a dual stimulator built to create a blended orgasm, and while it can be a splurge, it has amazing reviews from women and their partners. 

Lovehoney’s mon ami is a G-spot and clitoral stimulator that stimulates both areas for you, too. You can use one hand to hold it and grind on it, which gives you added stimulation via its sensorial ribbing. It’s the more budget-friendly of the two, and its shape can help you reach a blended orgasm.

While I didn’t have the Magic Wand on hand the first time I squirted, it did help me squirt for the second time. That’s a huge accomplishment considering penetration wasn’t involved to create a blended orgasm, just the most intense vibrations I’ve ever felt on my clitoris.

When I asked about the best positions, both experts suggested missionary with your hips raised, riding and grinding (instead of bouncing), and doggy style. Each allows for deeper internal stimulation, especially consistent G-spot stimulation.

It turns out that my biggest rival in squirting was performance anxiety. Your brain and genitals can impact each other, so feeling anxious will definitely make you freeze. In hindsight, I had previous partners who were so hell-bent on making me squirt that I felt bad I couldn’t, for one. And overall, it was just too much pressure. According to my conversation with Dr. Howard, this was exactly the issue. “Anxiety, overthinking, and ‘performing’ for a result can shut the body down fast. Hydration helps. Relaxation helps. Feeling safe helps.”

The other obstacle was that dreaded “I need to pee” feeling. Discovering that squirting can contain urine didn’t help my internal anxiety, as it basically confirmed my biggest fear. So I decided I’d need to get very comfortable with the thought of peeing in front of my lover. What took me so long to squirt was my fear of not being able to, and quite literally stopping myself because I was afraid my squirt was pee.

If I could describe the feeling of squirting, it felt like blacking out. Like the stars that come on the screen when a cartoon character gets punched. 10/10.

Everyone’s different, though. Dr. O’Reilly points out that “the language of ‘squirting’ can be confusing because the expulsion of a viscous fluid doesn’t always come out with pressure or gusto. Sometimes it’s more of a dribble.” 

Both are valid, and the full-body release Dr. Howard describes can happen with or without a big splash.

Dr. O’Reilly says, “It’s likely that most people can experience squirting.” Her caution, though, is to not treat it like the finish line. “A lot of people put pressure on themselves to ‘achieve’ squirting like it’s the gold medal of sex, when really it’s just one possible response to arousal, pelvic floor relaxation, and stimulation.”

Want more options? See our full roundup of 7 squirt-worthy sex toys, including picks suggested by Dr. Howard and Dr. O’Reilly.

Not entirely. Squirting is essentially the involuntary emission of urine during sexual activity, but the fluid also includes prostatic secretions. It isn’t harmful.

Some researchers say no. A 2022 review calls them “similar but completely different phenomena.” Female ejaculation is generally a smaller amount of thicker fluid, while squirting is a larger release of clearer fluid that appears to be mostly diluted urine.

Usually about one to three inches inside the vagina on the front wall, toward your belly button. It can feel slightly ridged or textured, and it varies from person to person, so explore once you’re aroused.

Dr. O’Reilly says it’s likely that most people can experience squirting, though what comes out varies from a big splash to a dribble.

A bathroom trip beforehand can help you relax, so it’s a good idea. You may still feel the urge to pee during G-spot stimulation. Dr. Howard says that for some bodies, that sensation is part of the build-up.

Obsessing about “achieving” squirting is a sure-fire way to never enjoy it. Take Dr. Howard and Dr. O’Reilly’s advice and set the right environment with toys, relaxation, and continuous, dual stimulation. If you’d like to try a toy, take their suggestions and try a dual stimulator like the Womanizer Duo 2 or the Lovehoney mon ami G-Spot and Clitoral Suction Stimulator.

Disclosure: Dr. Jessica O’Reilly and Dr. Shamyra Howard are sex experts for Womanizer, and Womanizer products are featured in this guide.