Urinary Catheter Care at Home

Reviewed by Gustavo Grimaldi, RN
Last reviewed: November 2, 2026

A urinary catheter is a thin, soft tube. It drains urine (pee) from the bladder into a bag. Some people go home from the hospital with one. Good care helps stop infection and other problems. This page shares simple, general tips. Always follow your own nurse's and doctor's orders first.

The short answer

• Wash your hands before and after you touch the catheter or bag.
• Keep the bag lower than your bladder at all times.
• Do not pull or tug on the tube. Keep it secured to your leg.
• Keep the tube free of kinks and twists.
• Empty the bag when it is about half full, or as your nurse told you.
• Call your doctor or nurse if you see signs of infection.

Words to know

• Indwelling catheter: A catheter that stays in the bladder. It is often called a Foley catheter.
• Drainage bag: The bag that collects urine. A leg bag is small and straps to your leg for the day. A night bag is larger and hangs by the bed.
• UTI: Urinary tract infection. It is the most common problem with a catheter.

Everyday catheter care

Your nurse or doctor will show you how to care for your catheter. Their orders come first.

• Wash your hands with soap and water before and after care.
• Clean the skin where the tube enters your body each day, the way your nurse showed you. Mild soap and water are often used. Do not use powders or lotions there unless told to.
• Keep the tube taped or strapped to your thigh. This stops pulling.
• Do not try to take out the catheter or push it back in yourself.
• Drink fluids during the day, unless your doctor told you to limit them. This keeps urine flowing.
• Ask your doctor or nurse if you may shower.

Caring for the drainage bag

• Keep it low. The bag must always be lower than your bladder. This keeps urine from flowing back in.
• Keep it off the floor. Hang it on the bed frame or a chair, not on the floor.
• Empty it often. Empty the bag when it is about half full, and at bedtime.
• Keep the spout clean. Do not let the drain spout touch the toilet or the container.
• Keep it closed. Try not to disconnect the bag from the tube more than you must.
• Switching bags. Follow your nurse's steps for changing from a leg bag to a night bag. Wash your hands first.
• Cleaning and replacing bags. Clean or replace bags only the way your nurse or supply company told you.

Check the catheter during the day

• Is urine flowing into the bag?
• Is the tube kinked, twisted, or under you?
• Is the bag below your bladder?
• Is urine leaking around the tube?

If urine is not draining, check for kinks and move the tube. If it still does not drain, call your nurse or doctor.

Call your doctor or nurse if

• You have a fever or chills.
• Your urine is cloudy, smells bad, or changes color.
• You feel burning or pain in your belly, bladder, or pelvis.
• You have pain in your side or lower back.
• There is pus or fluid where the tube enters your body.
• You see blood or grit in your urine.
• Urine leaks around the catheter.
• Little or no urine drains, even after you check for kinks.
• The catheter falls out.
• You feel tired, achy, or "not like yourself."

Call 911 if

• You have a high fever with shaking chills, and you feel very sick.
• You become suddenly confused, very sleepy, or hard to wake up.
• You have trouble breathing or chest pain.
• You have bad belly pain and a full, swollen bladder with no urine draining for hours.
• There is heavy bleeding or large blood clots in the urine.

Questions to ask your doctor or nurse

• Why do I need this catheter? How long will I have it?
• How should I clean around the catheter?
• How often should I empty and change my bags?
• How much should I drink each day?
• Can I shower?
• What should I do if it stops draining?
• Who do I call after hours?
• Where can I get more supplies?

How Newstart skilled nurses help

• Home health care brings skilled care, like nursing and therapy, to you at home. It follows a care plan from your doctor.
• Our skilled nurses can check your catheter and watch for signs of infection, as your doctor orders.
• They can teach you and your family how to care for the catheter and bags.
• They can tell your doctor about any changes.
• Home health care may be covered by Medicare if you qualify. Ask your doctor if home health care is right for you.
• Newstart Home Health Inc is licensed in 7 Southern California counties. We are currently serving Los Angeles, Ventura, and Orange Counties. We are also Medicare-certified.
• We provide skilled home health care only.

FAQ

Related pages

• Skilled Nursing
• Infection Control
• Preventing Infection at Home
• Request Care

Sources

1. MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine (NIH). "Indwelling catheter care." https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000140.htm (checked Nov 2, 2026, PT)
2. MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine (NIH). "Urine drainage bags." https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000142.htm (checked Nov 2, 2026, PT)

Last reviewed: November 2, 2026