How to Clean Urine Drainage Bags

If you have an indwelling urinary bag, also known as a catheter, urine drains from your bladder into a bag. These bags can be used while a patient is in bed or when he is up and about by strapping it to the leg. Cleaning the drainage tube should be done after every empty. Cleaning the bag is required once every three days.

Things You'll Need

• Toilet
• Alcohol wipes
• Clean bag
• Soap
• Water
• Vinegar

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Instructions

• 1

  Wash your hands well with soap and warm water. Drain the bag by holding the drainage tube over a toilet and letting it drain. Do not touch the tube to the toilet. Do not touch the tip of the valve with your hand. Wipe the tip of the drainage valve with an alcohol wipe. Close the valve. Wash your hands again.

• 2

  Disconnect the bag from the tubing and drain any remaining urine. Replace the dirty bag with a clean bag.

• 3

  Pour soapy water into the bag, swishing the soap into the corners of the bag. Drain the soap through the drainage valve. Mix a solution of 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water and pour into the bag. Allow the solution to sit for 30 minutes.

• 4

  Drain the solution. Rinse the bag with cold tap water. Hang the bag to allow to dry.