Pee in a Bottle

Whether you have a medical issue or simply have had too many fluids to drink, at some point you may experience an urgent need to urinate with no restrooms nearby. This often happens to people on long road trips and at sporting events, but for individuals suffering from medical problems it can happen anywhere at any time. It's important to urinate when you need to, as failing to do so can lead to accidents or serious medical complications. Learning how to urinate in a bottle can help you stay healthy while also remaining discreet.

Steps

Selecting Your Materials

1. Invest in a hospital bottle. If you experience frequent urination, or worry about certain situations in which urgent urination may be an issue, you may want to invest in a hospital bottle. These devices are built with an angled opening to make it easier to urinate in without spilling. They are also very large and can usually accommodate multiple urinations.
   • Hospital bottles are available online or through licensed medical providers. They can usually be purchased for a relatively low cost.
2. Choose an appropriate size. In choosing a bottle, it's important to select a bottle that is an appropriate size. While it's impossible to accurately predict precisely how much urine you will excrete, you can ensure that your bottle is large enough to contain an average person's urine volume. Every person's body is different, but urine volumes generally range between 120 ml and 465 ml, or approximately four to 16 fluid ounces.
   • Choose a bottle that can hold at least 465 ml, or approximately 16 ounces. If the bottle is bigger than that, it shouldn't be a problem. Remember: it's better for a bottle to be too big than too small.
   • The average soda bottle size is 12 fluid ounces, or approximately 355 ml. Larger soda bottles come in 1.75 liter sizes (1750 ml, or approximately 59 fluid ounces), but remember that a soda bottle of any size will have a very narrow opening.
   • Sports drink bottles like Gatorade and Powerade tend to have a wider mouth. For example, Gatorade offers a 20 fluid ounce (approximately 591 ml) bottle designed to have a wide mouth opening. Because of this, many people prefer using sports drinks bottles to urinate into.
3. Mark your bottle. Whether you're alone in a car or tent, or have others with you, it's important to mark your designated pee bottle to avoid any potential confusion. You can keep it simple by drawing a big "X" on the bottle in permanent marker, or be more explicit in your message (like "Do not drink," for example).
4. Consider using an FUD. Female urination devices, or FUDs, are essentially small funnels built for women to urinate standing up or into a bottle. There are many brands of FUDs, including GoGirl and Freshette, which can be used by women who need to urinate but can't find a toilet.
   • To use an FUD, simply hold the funnel under your vagina, relatively close to your body. Urinate into the device, and angle the narrow end into the mouth of a bottle.
   • You can find an FUD online or at many retail stores, including outdoor gear stores.
5. Bring cleanup supplies. In addition to the actual bottle, you'll need to bring adequate cleanup supplies. If you're a woman, this will mean bringing toilet paper or tissues to wipe up with. You'll also need soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, regardless of gender.

Urinating in a Bottle

1. Find a discreet place. If at all possible, retreat to a secluded location. If you are in a car, being seen by others shouldn't be a problem. If you're at a crowded event, like a sports match or a parade, and cannot get to a restroom, urinating in a bottle will be a little more difficult. You want to avoid being seen, as it is both embarrassing and illegal to expose yourself to others.
   • Find a place where you can be alone and won't be seen by anyone else. This may mean stepping into a stairwell or hiding behind a building, depending on where you are.
   • Use your best judgment and be discreet. Do not call attention to yourself, and again, make sure no one will see you.
2. Angle the bottle appropriately. If you're using a hospital bottle, the actual act of urinating will be fairly easy. The bottle has an angled top to prevent spilling and splash-back. However, if you're using an empty drink bottle, you'll need to angle the bottle to ensure it doesn't spill or overflow. Simply tilt the bottle at an angle to your body so that your urine flows against the bottom of the bottle, ideally at the downward-angled part of the bottle's bottom.
   • If you're a woman, you'll need to wipe up afterwards. This will require having toilet paper on hand. Be sure to wipe front to back in order to avoid a potential urinary tract infection, which can happen if bacteria from the rectal area is introduced into the bladder-opening area.
3. Properly dispose of the bottle. Once you've finished relieving yourself, you'll need to properly dispose of the bottle. It is illegal to dispose of human waste on the side of the road because of the serious health and sanitation hazards that roadside workers and landscapers face. In fact, in some states, there is an enhanced litter charge for anything deemed "dangerous litter." For example, in Wyoming (and numerous other states across the U.S.), getting caught disposing of urine on the side of the road can result in a nine month jail sentence.
   • Be sure the cap is securely tightened on the mouth of the bottle. This will ensure that the bottle will not spill if tipped or dropped.
   • Store the bottle in a secure location on your person or in your car.
   • When you reach a trashcan or restroom facility, you can either throw the bottle in the trash, or pour the urine into a toilet.
4. Clean up afterward. After urinating, it's important to wash your hands. If you are able to access running water and have soap on hand, lather the soap between your hands and rinse them under running water for approximately 20 seconds. This will help prevent the spread of germs and reduce the chances of getting yourself or others sick.
   • If you cannot access running water, which may be the case since you could not access a toilet, you should still clean your hands with antibacterial hand sanitizer or hand wipes. These alcohol-based products kill bacteria on your hands, helping to prevent the spread of germs.
   • To use hand sanitizer, simply squirt out enough of the product to adequately cover your hands and rub both hands together, covering all fingers and hand surfaces until the product dries.

Preventing and Managing Emergencies

1. Limit fluids before travel. If you're prone to frequent urination, or if you know you will be in a situation in which you won't have access to a restroom, you may want to avoid drinking fluids before and during that situation. For example, if you're going to be on a long car trip, limit your fluid intake for one or two hours before you depart, and restrict how much you drink during the trip.
   • Do not deprive yourself completely. If you are thirsty, you should absolutely drink some water to prevent dehydration. Just try to limit how much you drink to avoid emergencies.
   • Avoid diuretics like coffee, tea, cola, and other caffeinated beverages. Diuretics increase the frequency and urgency of urination, which may create an emergency situation when restrooms are not available.
2. Practice good bathroom habits. Over time, going to the bathroom when you don't really have to go will make your bladder accustomed to feeling the urge without having a full bladder. As part of a long-term bathroom habit, it's best to hold off on urinating until you actually need to. However, if you're embarking on a road trip or visiting a place with poor restroom access, you may want to consider urinating whenever the opportunity presents itself.
   • Plan bathroom breaks into every trip or outing. Try to anticipate where you will and won't be able to access a restroom, and plan accordingly.
   • Don't rush. Allow yourself to complete your urination, or you may find yourself feeling the urge later on. It's also best to allow urine to flow at a natural pace, rather than squeezing pelvis to force it out faster.
3. Know when to see a doctor. Most urinary urges most likely stem from simply drinking too many fluids or ingesting too much of a diuretic. Other urinary urges stem from abdominal pressure from factors like pregnancy or being overweight. However, some urinary urges may be caused by an underlying medical problem. Talk to your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:
   • bloody urine
   • discolored urine (especially red or dark brown in color)
   • pain during urination
   • difficulty urinating
   • incontinence (loss of bladder control)
   • fever

Tips

• Don't let anyone drink what's in the bottle!
• There are many funnel-type products on the market which make it easier for women to urinate standing up or into a bottle. Consider looking into these options if you are a woman prone to frequent urination.
• If you intend to reuse or recycle your urine bottle, add alcohol or other disinfectants to kill bacteria. This will also prevent the stale smell of urine in the bottle.
• Don't put the pee bottle anywhere near the kitchen or someplace where people eat or drink- they might mistake your urine for a drink!

Warnings

• If you are not experienced with urinating in a bottle, you might get a little bit of urine on yourself. If you anticipate ever having to do this, practice at home.

Things You'll Need

• Bottle
• A funnel (for women) if needed
• Marker (for marking the bottle)

Related Articles

• Urinate when on an Automobile Trip
• Travel Comfortably in a Van
• Sanitize a Public Toilet
• Travel Without Germs

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make Yourself Pee
• Urinate when on an Automobile Trip
• Get Rid of Kidney Stones
• Get Rid of a UTI Fast
• Prevent a Bacterial Infection
• Treat a Bladder Infection
• Avoid Dehydration
• Irrigate a Foley Catheter
• Insert a Catheter
• Treat Cystitis

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• Urinate when on an Automobile Trip