Ablutolagnia is a fetish for bathing, showering, and other forms of washing. This word comes from the Latin word abluto, meaning washing, and lagnia, a Latin root which comes from the Greek word for lust, lagneia.
One of the first known uses of the term came from J.E. Schmidt’s sexually focused dictionary “Lecher’s Lexicon,” released in 1967.
Ablutolagnia is sometimes called ablutophilia.
People with ablutolagnia might intimately touch themselves in the bath or shower or use sex toys as part of their washing ritual. They are likely to be aroused by the feeling of being naked in the water and the stimulation of soaps and washcloths against their skin. They might even involve a partner in their fetish through shower or bath sex.
People with ablutolagnia may be turned on equally by all forms of washing or have a clear sexual preference for bathing or showering, for example.
Ablutolagnia is considered a mild fetish as bathing or showering is an important and accepted part of our daily hygiene routines. As such, most people can easily satisfy their desires. However, if they find themselves bathing or showering for sexual gratification so often that it’s interrupting their professional or personal life, they may seek help. Therapy can help people manage abulotolagnia so it doesn’t disrupt their lives.
