How to Use a Suction Cup Dildo

In this guide: What is it? | Why we love it | How to use it | Where to stick it | 5 play ideas | Best positions

When you’re fully immersed in a fantasy, you don’t want to be awkwardly holding onto a sex toy! Suction cup dildos make sure your hands are free to roam your body (or your lover’s) while delivering satisfying internal pleasure.

All you need is lube, a clean surface, and a willingness to ride your way to oblivion. Whether it’s in the shower or by a kitchen cabinet, this is your guide on how to use a suction cup dildo. Get tips for positions, places to stick your dildo, and ways to feel even more pleasure.

Only got time for a quickie?

Maybe your new dildo has just arrived and you're desperate to get started! Here’s the short and sweet version:

• A suction cup dildo is an insertable sex toy that can stick onto a flat surface using only the power of suction. Use it to ride, thrust, and hump your way to the big O — hands free.

• Choose a smooth, hard surface. It needs to provide a strong stick so the dildo doesn’t go flying at the most inopportune time. Give the surface a clean first as dust and grime can stop the stick.

• Lube up. Lube makes inserting any toy more comfortable. Reducing uncomfortable friction means you can ride for longer and get more satisfaction from your toy.

• You can use a dildo alone or with a partner. Pair it with another sex toy to stimulate the clitoris or penis while you ride. Or secure it in a strap-on harness and play with someone special.

• Try out different positions. Stick it on your headboard or to a wall and get down in Doggy Style. You’ll find more position ideas below!

• Keep it clean. Make sure you wash your toy with soap and water or sex toy cleaner after each use. It helps keep you and your toy safe from harm.

Read the full guide for more juicy detail.

A suction cup dildo is an insertable sex toy with a flexible suction cup base that’s made to stick to solid flat surfaces. They’re generally penis-shaped, although you can get non-realistic and even fantasy dildos. You can use a suction cup dildo for hands-free solo or partnered play.

Suction cup dildos are versatile toys that can bring novelty to any sex toy collection. Here’s why the nation loves them:

• Your hands are free to pleasure yourself or your partner while you ride

• You can get penetrated without needing partner

• You get to control the depth, angle, and pace of penetration

• It widens the pool of new positions that may be harder with a handheld toy (check out all our recommendations below)

• You can use it for strap-on dildo play — most suction cup dildos are compatible with a harness

If you’ve never used one before, you’re in for a treat.

A suction cup is only as good as the surface you stick it to. Before you go hog wild and stick your dildo to the closest wall, there are some things to keep in mind so you can use it to its fullest potential:

Choose the right surface

Suction cup dildos need a hard, flat, non-porous surface to stick to. Think: tiled floors or walls or a quartz countertop. Go for something sturdy that won’t shatter if you pull on your toy too hard.

Avoid soft fabrics and porous, textured surfaces since these won’t create the sealed suction needed. Check out our tips on where to stick below.

Position your dildo at the right height

If you’re going for a vertical stick, make sure you can back up onto your dildo while standing or kneeling. Standing can give you that crazy weak-at-the-knees feeling and a lot of novelty, but kneeling or squatting with your toy is more controlled (and potentially less tiring).

For a horizontal stick, e.g. on a floor or chair, you’ll need to make sure you can get down to wherever your toy is. You might find it easier to stick your dildo to a plastic plate and set it on your couch, for example, rather than directly on the floor.

Clean the surface

Found your spot? Make sure the surface (and your dildo) is clean. If your bathroom floor has a bunch of hair and dust, or your shower walls have soap scum, it’s not going to hold a good suction (also, all that ick doesn’t help set the mood).

Wash and dry the surface before sticking the dildo to it. To keep out pesky air bubbles that can ruin the stick, press down firmly in the center of the suction cup using the shaft of the dildo.

Get turned on

Read something sexy in bed or dim the lights and turn on music that gets you in the mood. Try stroking your nipples or rubbing your clit or penis before you play with a dildo.

Getting in the mood before playing will loosen up tense muscles (making penetration more comfortable) and get you in the right frame of mind to play. If you’ve got a vagina, turning yourself on also helps lubricate you naturally, allowing your toy to glide in more smoothly.

Apply lube

Regardless of whether you feel naturally wet, you need water-based lube when you play with a dildo. It makes for a smoother, frictionless glide which means more comfort for you.

Apply lube to both the toy and your vulva or anus (especially the anus, which doesn’t self-lubricate). Stick to water-based when playing with toys as it won’t damage the material (silicone lube can corrode silicone toys).

Get comfortable

Slowly lower yourself or back up onto your dildo. If it feels uncomfortable to insert, masturbate some more and apply extra lube before you try again.

Once the dildo is inside you, try staying still for a moment to focus on the sensation of fullness, letting your muscles relax around the toy. Stroke your hands up your thighs, between your legs, or over your chest as you settle into the feeling.

Ride your dildo

Try slow deep grinding, quick shallow thrusts, or moving your hips in a circle. You can lean forward or back to change up the angle of penetration, which helps hit different spots like the G-spot or P-spot.

Clean up afterwards

Unstick the dildo from the surface, either using a gentle twist or getting a nail under the suction cup to break the seal. Wash the dildo in warm water and mild soap, or use a sex toy cleaner. You can also boil silicone toys for five minutes to disinfect them (which also will slightly soften the cup for a better stick).

If you need a refresher, follow our guide on how to clean sex toys, based on your toy’s material. After the toy is dried, store it in a clean, dry spot to avoid linty bits and dust.

Wherever you stick your toy, it needs to hold its suction (because you definitely don’t want it flying off with any rambunctious thrusting). Here are some ideas:

• Tiled wall: This may include inside your shower or on a tiled bathroom floor (or even in the kitchen if you’ve got some privacy!). Tile is a smooth, non-porous surface that can create a strong suction.

• Edge of the bathtub: Stick that baby to the ledge of the tub and straddle both sides, lowering yourself up and down. Plus, when you’re done, you can just get right in the tub for a relaxing post-orgasm soak.

• Toilet lid: The closed toilet lid makes a great surface for a dildo because most are at just the right height to comfortably thrust. Just make sure it’s a sturdy lid and not one made with cheap plastic!

• Washing machine: This one can be a mixed bag for folks. On one hand, riding the washer can add some vibrations to take you over the edge. But the noise of the machine whirling and clanking might be distracting for some people.

• Chair: A popular surface, the humble chair gives an ideal angle, placing your feet comfortably on each side for leverage. Fun_Louise on the Lovehoney Forum says their favorite place is the arm of a rocking chair. “I can have one knee on the seat of the chair and the other foot on the floor, so I can rock as I thrust.”

• Bench: A bench without a backrest can give you a firm surface at a comfortable height that you can easily straddle. Use a chair or dresser to hold onto for balance or use your hands on either side of the bench for leverage!

• Headboard: Give your knees some added comfort by kneeling on your squishy mattress and stick the dildo to your headboard. Forum user Mrssexappeal19 offers a tip of pulling the mattress back a little to create space between the headboard and mattress. “If I want to do Doggy Style, my knees stay on my bed, and my legs don’t get in the way because they hang in that middle space.”

• Mirror: Mirrors provide a smooth, hard surface with excellent suction and can give you and your partner a sexy view of what’s going on. Just be cautious and use a sturdy mirror. The last thing you want is glass breaking or the mirror pulling off the wall.

• Hot tub: A hot tub can be an exciting place for dildo play. While water is wet, it can also create more friction, so reapply lube as often as needed. Only use a dildo that’s made of silicone to withstand the high heat.

There are other creative ways to use your toy besides changing up the surface. If you need some time to figure out how to perform these tips before showing off in front of your partner, try them solo for the first few sessions until you feel more confident.

Pick a fantasy dildo

From glow-in-the-dark dildos to dragon scales to sea monsters, fantasy dildos make your imaginary scenarios more immersive.

Fantasy dildos are a bit more out-of-the-box than your tried-and-tested penis shapes, often inspired by mythical creatures like a dragon, alien, or sea monster. They offer unique shapes and textures that you can’t get from a more realistic dildo. (Plus, many of them are just pretty to look at.)

Take it all over the house

You don’t have to limit yourself to certain areas of the home to play with a dildo. All you need is a small, flat surface like a textbook, plastic Tupperware, or a barbell plate to become suction-cup ready. Lovehoney Forum user LIL_KNOWN69 uses a non-slip kitchen mat that allows for stable play with Tupperware containers.

And Eric76 adds, “A 10-pound barbell plate that has a completely flat side makes a great dildo base. Works great on the couch or in bed, so my wife has a comfy surface for her knees.”

Combine it with another toy

Pair your dildo with a second toy for twice the pleasure. When you stimulate multiple erogenous zones at once, you can experience a “blended orgasm” which can be more intense, satisfying, and longer-lasting.

If you’ve got a vulva, now’s the time to try a clitoral suction vibrator which helps a lot of people climax by mimicking oral sex to the clitoris. For some penis love, try enveloping your member in a stroker (AKA male masturbator) while your suction cup pleasures your butt. Once you’ve tried it, this combination can feel totally irresistible.

Go for double penetration

Speaking of anal play, you can use a double dildo with a suction cup for anal and vaginal pleasure at the same time. If you’re new to anal play, choose one with a slimmer end to make anal penetration easier. Guide one end into the anus, and the other into the vagina. Then enjoy the sensation of full double penetration.

Check out our guide on how to use a double-ended dildo for more tips.

Try it with a strap-on harness

When you combine a suction cup with a harness, your sexual horizons get even broader. Strap-on play is common in queer relationships where both partners have a vagina, but they enjoy the feeling of penetration.

That said, strap-ons are becoming very popular among straight couples too, allowing men to receive anal penetration from a woman (this is known as pegging). Pegging can stimulate the prostate and penile structure from within for a deep, intense orgasm.

No matter your anatomy or sexual orientation, strap-ons can bring a lot of novelty to your sex life. That’s why we love them!

If you’re brand-spanking new to suction cup dildos, or you're looking for exciting ways to spice up your next alone time or partnered play, these positions will give you some inspiration and creativity for maximum pleasure. So lube up and read on.