Urine Bags

A urine drainage bag, as you already know, collects urine. Your bag will attach to a catheter that is inside your bladder. You may have a catheter and urine drainage bag because you have urinary incontinence, urinary retention, a surgery that made a catheter necessary, or another health problem.

Emptying Your Urine Bag

Always empty your bag in a clean bathroom. Do not let the bag or tube openings touch any of the bathroom surfaces (toiler, wall, floor, and others). Empty your bag into the toilet at least two or three times a day, or when it is a third to half full. They are a lot of steps for emptying your bag, so be patient and read them all carefully.

Changing your Urine Bag

Change your bag once or twice a month. Change it sooner if it smells bad or looks dirty. The same with emptying your urine bag, there are some steps you may want to read carefully before changing your urine bag.

Cleaning Your Urine Bag

Clean your bedside bag each morning. Clean your leg bag each night before changing to the bedside bag. Here are the steps you want to take for cleaning your leg bag:

- Wash your hands well.

- Disconnect the tube from the bag. Attach the tube to a clean bag.

- Clean the used bag by filling it with a solution of 2 parts white vinegar and 3 parts water. Or, you can use 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of chlorine bleach mixed with about a half-cup (120 milliliters) of water.

- Close the bag with the cleaning liquid in it. Shake the bag a little.

- Let the bag soak in this solution for 20 minutes.

- Hang the bag to dry with the bottom spout hanging down.