Rimming (also known as analingus, rim job, or tossing the salad) is the act of using your mouth or tongue to stimulate the outer rim of your partner’s anus. It can be an amazingly intimate and pleasurable way to play, for both the giver and the receiver. Here’s our complete guide on getting started with rimming.
Why would anyone want to give or receive a rim job?
People enjoy rimming for lots of reasons. Since the anus is sensitive and full of erotic nerve endings, it can feel every little change in pressure or contact. And as anyone who has enjoyed oral sex knows, the lips and tongue can provide a lot of different sensations. People also enjoy rimming because it can create a feeling of deep connection with a partner, or because it has an even bigger sense of the taboo.Once you’ve decided that you want to try rimming with your partner, you’ll need to have an anal talk. If they’ve already said that they’re into anal play and rimming, that conversation will probably be pretty easy.
What are the best positions for rimming?
One of the top positions for rimming includes having the receiver on their back. It’ll help if they have a pillow under their hips and if they bring their knees up to their chest. That gives maximum access, especially if the receiver is on a bed and the giver is kneeling on the floor.
You can also try it from behind, with the receiver on their elbows and knees or bent over the bed. Or try it with the giver lying on their back and the receiver straddling their face. It all depends on what works for your bodies.
What are some useful rimming techniques?
As with blowjobs, you’ve got a few different choices when it comes to rimming moves. Try making your tongue soft and lick across the entire anus, as if you were eating an ice cream cone.
One of the best moves for rimming is to swirl the tip in a circle around the opening.
You can flick the tip up and down, right over the opening.
Or try licking up one side of the anus, in a sort of semicircle, and then do the same on the other side.
You can even push the tip of your tongue into the opening of the anus if you want.
Try different amounts of pressure, or experiment with using the tip of the tongue and then the flat surface. Have the receiver tell you what feels good for them. A scale of 1-10 (where 10 = amazing) is a good way to gauge what they enjoy. If the have trouble using the number scale, have them say “yes” when you find something that works.Pay attention to the changes in the anus itself. When the receiver gets more aroused or when you find a move that really works for them, you might notice that the anus relaxes and expands a little bit. The pelvic floor might also relax and drop down towards your mouth. That’s a good sign that their body is getting more turned on.
What about anal hygiene and safety?
When it comes to rimming, it’s wise to be a bit more cautious about hygiene. For obvious reasons, rimming does increase the possibility of coming into contact with bacteria. Unfortunately, there isn’t much reliable research about this. But there are some strategies that many sexual health and medical professionals agree will reduce the risk.First, have the receiver wash well before hand. Use soap and a washcloth, and make sure you do a thorough job. If you don’t have time for a shower, you can also use a hypoallergenic, unscented baby wipe.
Keeping your rimming fun focused on the outside of the anus, rather than pushing your tongue into the anal canal will also lower the chances of coming into contact with bacteria.Another option is to use a dental dam or a piece of plastic wrap as a barrier. Put some lubricant on the receiver (or on the receiver’s side of the barrier), hold it in place with your hands, and go for it. It’ll work better if you leave it a little loose, rather than keeping it taut.
You can also use a pair of scissors to turn a glove into a dental dam. The advantage to this technique is that you can slide your tongue into the thumb of the glove, which gives you more options than a flat dental dam. Here’s a great video by Sunny Megatron that shows you how to turn a glove into a dental dam.If you don’t use a barrier, rimming does have some risks. In addition to the possibility of sexually transmitted infections like herpes and chlamydia, there’s also a chance that you might come into contact with viruses or bacteria that the receiver is carrying in their digestive system such as Hepatitis A, Salmonella, Giardia, Amoebas, and Shigella.Part of what makes this tricky is that it’s possible for someone to have an intestinal bug and not have any symptoms (or not notice their symptoms), but they can still pass it along to someone else. Some people manage their risk by limiting who they engage in rimming with. For example, if you live with a partner, you’re more likely to know if their digestive system is acting up a bit. That would be a good time to avoid rimming until you have more confidence that it isn’t a case of food poisoning. With a casual partner or someone you don’t know as well, you might not have all the info to make a clear choice.
Whatever you decide, it’s good to check in with your partner and make sure they’re on board. And if either of you is feeling nervous or uncomfortable, turn a glove into a dental dam, and then you can have all the fun without worrying about it.
