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16 Shower Sex Positions For Your Next Steamy Hookup
Goodbye to awkward positions, hello to (safe!) orgasms.
Movies and TV shows do a great job at making shower sex look steaming hot (pun intended), but the truth is, people are usually either Team Yes Please or Team Hell No when it comes to actually having shower sex. (Both totally valid, TBH!) But no matter what side you’re on, know that a few tweaks can get you way closer to that sexy, movie-esque shower sex scene you’re picturing in your head.
Full disclosure/cold shower of a reality check: Shower sex won’t be perfect. Sex in the shower comes with potentially dangerous slipperiness, the logistical issues of getting body part A into/near/on body part B in a possibly tight space, and the confounding fact that water, despite being, like, super wet, is some sort of cursed anti-lube. But fear not. Here are some tips for getting both wet and wild, while avoiding a highly embarrassing naked slip n’ fall.
It’s totally fine to skip penetration
“Shower sex is not fun when you insist penetrative sex be the end-all-be-all goal,” says Gigi Engle, sex expert for SKYN. “You can have so much more fun doing other stuff. Stick to hand jobs, clit rubbing, and oral sex.”
Safety first
Showers are slippery! Keep that in mind before you lather up with a partner. “Most shower features are not intended to be used as handles. The soap dish, shower curtain bar and shower head are not handles. The accessibility bar is a handle but it still might not be robust enough for you,” says Carol Queen, PhD, staff sexologist at Good Vibrations and curator of the Antique Vibrator Museum. “Test their stability first.”
You will need lube
Don’t use plain ol’ water as lube unless you want to experience the driest, most chafing sex you will ever have. Opt for silicone lube because it lasts and won’t wash off right away. However, when it comes to condoms, you (initially, at least) want dryness. “Put on the condom in dry conditions so it can provide effective protection without breaking or slipping off,” says Nina Nguyen, a sex and LGBTQ+ expert, speaker, and cofounder of Fraulila.de, a German LGBTQ+ sex and relationships platform.
Equip your space
Think: Handheld shower heads, luxe soap and a rainfall shower head that will keep you both warm are all great options to make your shower sesh feel luxe, but grandma-style, non-slip bathmats are key for safety. “Whether you’re standing, kneeling, lying or bending, the chance of slipping is very high when you’re playing your own version of adult Twister,” says Ruby Payne, dominatrix and sex expert at adult toy retailer UberKinky. While you’re at it, pick up some shower sex gear like foot props or suction cup handles.
Keep it clean
Yes, it’s a shower and hence technically clean, and yet… wash your toys before and after, get the lube off the floor, and wash your vulva. (Remember to keep soap out of your actual vagina.) “Remember not to stay in too long, as humidity and moisture can increase chances of yeast infections as well!” says Carolyn Luna, webmaster of The Gritty Woman.
Bring in the toys
Whether you’re with a partner or hitting the shower alone, there are tons of great waterproof sex toys for whatever body part or fetish you’re looking to satisfy.
Once you’ve got all that squared away, here are some steamy shower sex positions to try.
The Mountain
Sit down, bend your knees and inch toward each other à la crab walk. If you have a removable shower head, point it at your clit. If you have a regular rain shower, try a waterproof vibrator wand. It’s also a good opportunity for couples where both partners have vaginas to bust out a new double dildo, says Nguyen. “A dab of lube under the bottom ensures the right dynamics.” To do it, slide your booty on the lube, slip ‘n slide style, while you rock back and forth against the floor. (Just make sure you clean it up before standing back up.)
SHOP NOW Tempest Intense Wand Massager, $59.69, Overkink
SHOP NOW Jr. Double Header 12 Inch Dildo, $19.96, Pinkcherry
The Slow Drip
For a slightly BSDM vibe, the receiving partner puts their hands against the wall (interrogation fantasy optional) and bends over slightly so the penetrating partner can enter with a penis or strap-on, festooned with a waterproof cock ring. “They’ll love seeing the hot water run down your back and body, and you can adjust the ring to hit your sweet spot,” says Liv Arnold, erotic rom com writer.
SHOP NOW Tri-O Waterproof Vibrating Couple's Cock Ring, $22, Good Vibrations
The Waterwheels
“Shower sex can be great for wheelchair users. If you have a shower that accommodates your chair or a shower stool, the seated position can be great for giving oral sex to a partner or fingering them!” says Rebecca Blanton, aka Auntie Vice, a sex educator and co-host of the Fat Chicks on Top podcast. You can also torture/please each other with a waterproof vibrator—they’re magic on vulvas (obvs) but some penis-havers like one pressed against the underside of their shaft or their perineum.
SHOP NOW Maxi Wanachi Waterproof Massager, $33, Adam & Eve
The Clean and Jerk
If you're very different heights or your space is very small, the easiest way to make something happen is to stick to hand jobs. Start by soaping each other up—just because it's fun—then fill your hands with silicone lube and start stroking each other, using the other hand to squeeze their butt or rub their chest. Clean up is easy too—just wash off and go.
The Safety First
If you're craving penetration but not a visit to the ER, have the giving partner kneel down on the floor, sitting back on their heels. The receiving partner straddles the other's thighs to get some of that deep D/strap-on love. If you're on top, it's easy to rub yourself or let a toy do it for you while you ride your partner.
SHOP NOW Diamond Darling Vibrator, $40, Adam & Eve
The Watch and Learn
Take to opposite sides of the shower and tease each other. Take your time soaping yourselves up, then start masturbating for each other. You can keep it as a voyeur/exhibitionist look-but-don't-touch scenario or, if you can't take it, reach for each other as you get closer to orgasm.
The Razor Edge
Prop up your foot on the edge of the tub like you would if you were going to shave your legs to give yourself some semi-solid footing and allow easy-ish entry. (Make sure you have a very sturdy bath mat so you don’t slip.) Then everyone needs to just hold the hell on to whatever’s available—soap holders, towel racks, shower door. Safety helmets optional.
The Slip ’n’ Slide
Bring your bath toys in with you for slippery-slide-y fun. Penis havers get a masturbation sleeve, vagina holders a waterproof vibe. Smooch under the steamy downpour, and instead of using your toys on yourselves, which you can do during any old shower, use them on each other. If you really want to stay on theme, invest in an I Rub My Duckie.
SHOP NOW Mantric Rechargeable Wand Vibrator, $60, Lovehoney
SHOP NOW I Rub My Duckie, $33, Babeland
The Water Work It
Turns out, high water pressure beating down on an erect penis is not always pleasurable for your partner. Have them hold a railing for support and rescue them from that hell. Make sure the stream is fixed on their back and not your face so you can breathe easily as you go down on them.
The Seatless Bike
If standing sex is just not working, seating is definitely optional depending on your bathroom. You need: a shower seat or good-size tub ledge, a shit ton of silicone-based lube, and decently strong thighs. Lower yourself onto what is hopefully a raging erection or strap-on, going as slowly as you need. Works for both vaginal and anal penetration and is super adjustable.
The Wet ’n’ Wild
Have them sit on the bottom of the tub, legs straight in front of them. Low water level is fine here—in fact, it’s eco-friendly! Slide on top of them, holding on to their shoulders or the side of the tub for leverage. And here’s some secret wisdom: a pair of soaped-up boobs makes everything better.
The Bent-Over Bather
Sometimes simplicity is best when it comes to shower boning. Make sure your feet are completely not slippery (if you’re a safety-first kind of person, buy one of those non-slip mats your grandma has), then bend over at the waist, spread your legs as needed, and hang on to to something sturdy. Your partner enters you from behind in a standing doggy, holding you steady with their hands on your hips.
The Super Soaker
Sometimes, trying to hold a weird position or random fears of water waste during a drought can get in the way of you actually having an orgasm. Put a handheld shower head into service by directing the stream between your legs as your partner enters you standing. The water won’t work the same magic on their penis or strap-on as it does on you, but they so won’t be complaining.
The Liquid Love
The tub or shower is an ah-mazing place for oral. The water and general air of cleanliness helps some people feel more relaxed about mouths on mysterious nether regions. Take turns sitting on the edge of the tub (built-in shower seat works too) and have the other give you some wet, watery oral. If you have neither ledge nor edge, take turns kneeling before the other.
The Rub-a-Dub Dude
Sometimes we get stuck on the idea that sex = penetration, which, bullshit! Mutual masturbation is great at all times (way less chance of pregnancy or diseases, way more chance of getting the kind of stimulation you need), and in the shower, it offers the additional perks of body-safe soap as lube. (In this case, it works if they keep their fingers on the outside of you.) Plus, it's easy to rinse away any evidence. Try a variation with them standing behind you, either stroking themselves while you attend to yourself, or stroking you while they slide their penis or strap-on between your soapy butt cheeks.
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