We’ve come a long way towards sexual equality, but female sexual pleasure can sometimes still feel like a taboo topic — or at least, a sometimes confusing one.. Squirting is a prime example of this. It’s not included in sexual education, is unrealistically portrayed in porn, is even controversial among medical researchers, and is generally misunderstood by many. 

We're here to help set the record straight. What is squirting exactly? Why do women squirt? Can all people with vulvas do it? How do you begin to dabble in this area of sexual pleasure? In this article, we’ll discuss squirting in detail, dispel some myths, and offer some top tips for exploring it.

Grab a bucket and a mop for this one, and let's get started!

What Is Squirting?

Squirting refers to the expulsion of a clear fluid from the urethra during sexual arousal or orgasm. It happens to people with vulvas, though not everyone experiences it.

Here are some fast facts about squirting:

• Amount: Contrary to the gushing litres of fluid often depicted in porn, the amount of liquid expelled when squirting can vary greatly. Some people literally soak the sheets, releasing more than 100 ml of fluid, while others release closer to 15 ml. 
• Timing: Squirting tends to occur during sexual arousal as a person nears orgasm, during orgasm, or right after orgasm. 
• Frequency: Some people experience squirting spontaneously and without effort; others can control their squirting; and others have not or find they cannot squirt. Each situation is normal, as arousal, our bodies, and our experience of pleasure are all highly individual. 

Is squirting the same as peeing?

It appears that the fluid released during squirting (while similar in composition to urine) isn’t identical to urine. Like urine, squirted fluid contains urea, creatinine, and uric acid and comes from the urethra.

However! Fluid released during squirting also contains a substance called prostatic-specific antigen (PSA), a substance created in the Skene’s glands, which is not found in urine. In addition, a study exploring the nature of squirting assessed the fullness of women’s bladders before, during, and after sexual stimulation. Even though all participants had empty bladders before stimulation, the bladders of the ones who squirted filled rapidly right before squirting, and were empty after.

So, it’s possible that while squirted fluid passes through the bladder and urethra, and is similar to urine, it’s not exactly the same. What’s more, most people note that squirted fluid doesn’t taste or smell like urine.

How Does Squirting Feel?

Female sexual pleasure is much more nuanced and complex than portrayed in the media. Just like we all have different fingerprints, each person with a vulva experiences squirting differently.

Squirting can feel orgasmic, intense, and deeply pleasurable — which makes sense, considering it tends to happen near orgasm. Many people also report feeling a sense of release, amazement, pride, and sexual satisfaction. 

However, squirting can also be a multi-layered emotional journey depending on people’s relationship with sex, their bodies, and their partner. Some people report feeling humiliation, embarrassment, shock, and surprise. It can be emotionally intense, and some people report feeling overwhelmed by it. Still others experience squirting and then wonder what the big deal is.

Still, squirting can be beneficial for you beyond feeling aroused and pleasure, and some couples state it improves their sex life. Some young women explain how gushing motivates them to communicate more effectively with their sex partners about their needs and expectations, which can help to build the foundations of a safe environment for healthy sexual experiences.

Squirting vs. Female Ejaculation: Are They the Same?

The terms “squirting” and“female ejaculation” are often used interchangeably (both in day-to-day settings as well as in medical literature). But are they the same? 

Nope — while they can be grouped together under “sexual fluid emission” (how romantic), squirting and female ejaculation are two different experiences: 

Squirting	Female Ejaculation
The expulsion of often-copious clear-ish fluid (anywhere from 10-110 ml)	The release of a small amount of a thicker, milky fluid (a few millilitres)
Passes through the bladder, and contains some input from the Skene's glands*	Comes from the Skene’s glands*
Contains urea, uric acid, creatinine, some prostatic-specific antigen (PSA), and is similar to urine.	Contains prostate-specific antigen (PSA), fructose, and glucose and is similar to semen in consistency.
Can happen when sexually aroused or surrounding orgasm	Is released during orgasm

 

*The Skene’s glands are also known as the female prostate, as they have some similarity to the male prostate. The Skene's glands are two glands located on either side of the female urethra. Their function isn’t fully understood, but they’re the source of female ejaculate and help to lubricate the vaginal opening. 

Interestingly, not every person with a vulva seems to have them…one study only found them in 50-85% of women assessed. 

How to Squirt

Some people are old hats at squirting, while others have never experienced it before. Both are valid! 

We should point out that not everyone is able to squirt or ejaculate. There’s no shame in either. A healthy, happy sex life is not about achieving milestones, but exploring and enjoying pleasure. 

If squirting is something you’d like to experience, or would like to explore further, there are many ways to explore this area of sexual pleasure. 

Let’s start with the basics:

Step 1: Prepare Mentally

Ever hear the common advice that in order to orgasm, you have to “relax and let go”? Well, it’s definitely true of squirting too. Many people who have squirted emphasise the importance of being relaxed, comfortable with a partner, and at ease with the idea of gushing. If you’re preoccupied, tense, or fixated on how your sexual partner might perceive you, it may make squirting more challenging for you. 

Some common mental and emotional obstacles people face about squirting include:Ask yourself if any worries or beliefs are holding you back:

• Feeling insecure about the amount of fluid squirting releases or worried about making a mess. 
• Feeling pressured for squirting to happen in a certain way (i.e., based on norms in pornography or set by a previous partner).
• What do you need to feel comfortable and safe right now?

It can be difficult to move past these kinds of obstacles. Take a moment to explore your feelings, see what you can let go of, offer yourself some reassurance and self-love, and try to approach squirting as a fun experiment.

Step 2: Prepare Your Body & Surroundings

Sex can be full of fun, unexpected, and messy things. Still worried about squirting making a mess? A few easy steps can help ease this:

• Empty your bladder beforehand
• Spread a towel on the bed
• Consider heading to a more wet-friendly environment, like the shower or bath

Making sure you’re well hydrated is another good step when exploring squirting. Dehydration impacts a variety of bodily fluid levels, so hydrating well may help you to get wet more easily and optimise your odds of squirting. 

And don’t forget: lube is your friend during all kinds of sex play! Keeping things smooth and slippery helps to keep things comfortable (helping to avoid making your vulva irritated or itchy) and pleasurable. 

Step 3: Squirting Through Solo Play

Solo play can be a great way to start to explore squirting, or even to expand your mastery if you’ve already experienced it. It can allow you to direct your full attention to your own feelings and bodily sensations before you consider a partner’s needs or experience.

A few basic pointers can help you to try squirting during solo play:

• Relax into your preferred setting for masturbation. If you’d like, lay a towel down in case of waterworks. Make sure you won’t be disturbed and that you have privacy.
• Use your fingers or a sex toy to find your G-spot. (A friendly reminder: it’s inside the front wall of your vagina, a few inches deep. Its texture is often described as spongy or rough.)
• Stimulate the G-spot gently. Experiment with rhythm, amounts of pressure, and movements that feel best. 
• As arousal builds, it’s common to feel the need to urinate. Relax into it and see how it interacts with your pleasure. 
• As you get more and more aroused, consider adding in a bit of clitoral stimulation with fingers or a sex toy at the same time.
• You may squirt as your arousal builds and your pleasure intensifies.You may reach an orgasm, and squirt during or after it. You may not experience squirting at all. Try your best to relax your pelvic muscles and keep masturbating through your climax to promote release of fluid. 

A key point takeaway: take your time and don’t rush things. Make sure you’re relaxed and comfortable, let your pleasure build slowly, and see what happens.

Step 4: Squirting With a Partner

After experimenting with squirting during solo play, you can try it with a partner too. Or, you might be here because you’d like to help a partner squirt. Either way, here are a few basic tips:

• Be generous with the foreplay, using mouth, fingers, or sex toys to stimulate the G-spot and/or clitoris. 
• Communicate, check in, and ensure there is active listening and respect for each other’s "no". 

If you need inspiration for positions to try, we've got you! 

1. Doggy style makes it quite easy to hit the G-spot. As the receiving partner kneels down, they can reach between their legs and play with their clitoris, stimulating it with their hands or a sex toy.
2. Reverse cowgirl might be helpful if the receiving partner prefers to sit up straight. It also allows both to play with the clitoris freely.
3. Manual missionary is a variation on traditional missionary in which the receiving partner lies down and their partner stimulates their G-spot manually while they play with their clitoris. It also allows for intense eye contact.

While exploring squirting, try to remember: 

• Can all people women squirt? Nope. 
• Does it mean they are worse at sex? Nope. 
• Can working together to experience squirting still enhance your shared experience? Yes!

Think of squirting as a journey, not a destination. If it happens, it will be a deeply intimate moment, and so creating a safe space is essential for a good experience. If you’re here for your partner, remember to avoid putting on the pressure, and to offer plenty of reassurance.

Safety First

Like fastening your seatbelt before driving, it’s essential to discuss safety measures before jumping into sexual exploration with a partner.

The majority of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and HIV, are transmitted through bodily fluids (yes, that includes fluid released during squirting). Enable yourself to fully enjoy your experience by:

• Making sure both partners are STI-free (keep things simple by using our at-home STI kits),
• Staying safer from infection by using a condom, a dental dam, and/or gloves.

Have Fun!

Well done! Sexual education is an important investment in sexual self-care and wellness. Now that you understand some basic facts and tips about squirting, you're ready to go! Stay safe, communicate openly, and enjoy every moment.