Article: Catheters are used for a variety of conditions, so ask your doctor if there are any alternatives available for your specific medical issue. Sometimes, long-term catheter use is necessary and there are no alternatives. If this is the case, proper care and cleaning of your catheter can help prevent UTIs. Long-term catheter use greatly increases the risk of recurrent UTIs. Wash your hands and wet a clean washcloth with soap and warm water. Hold the catheter tube and carefully wash the end near your vagina or penis. Take care not to tug it as you slowly clean down the tube away from your body, then dry it with a clean cloth.  Always wash the catheter away from your body. Cleaning it from the bottom toward your body increases the risk of infection. Wash your hands again when you’re finished. Wash your hands, wet a clean washcloth with soap and warm water, then gently wipe the area where the catheter enters your urethra. If you’re a woman, wipe away from the urethra from front to back. If you’re a man, wipe from the tip of the penis down the shaft.  Continue to wipe your groin area with the soapy cloth. Rinse the soap away with a stream of water or wet washcloth, then dry yourself thoroughly with a clean cloth. Wash your hands again when you’re finished. Open the bag’s spout or clamp and pour the contents into a toilet or the receptacle your doctor or nurse provided. Clean the spout with a cotton ball or swab soaked in rubbing alcohol, close the spout, then attach the bag to your leg fastener.  Keep the bag below your waist at all times. Be aware of the tube’s position as you pour, and make sure it doesn’t twist or tug. Take care not to get urine on your hands as you pour. Wash your hands after draining the bag. Attach the drainage bag to a leg fastener, and never hold it above your waist when you’re emptying or cleaning it. Holding it above your bladder level can cause urine to re-enter your urinary tract.
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Talk to your doctor about minimizing catheter use. Clean your catheter twice daily if you have one. Clean the skin around your catheter at least once a day. Empty the bag every 8 hours or whenever it’s half-full. Keep the catheter bag lower than your waist at all times.