For Men:
- Wash your hands.
- Wash your penis and the skin around it with warm, soapy water or a moist towelette.
- Get comfortable. Standing or lying down often works best. Or sit on the edge of your seat.
- Lubricate about 2 to 4 inches of the catheter tip. Place the catheter's other end in the toilet or basin.
- Grasp the tip of your penis. Pull the penis out and up and hold it at a 45° angle to your stomach.
- Insert the catheter slowly into your urethra.
- If the catheter becomes hard to insert, relax, take a deep breath, and bear down as if trying to urinate. If you feel sharp pain, remove the catheter and try again.
- When urine begins to flow, stop inserting the catheter. You can relax your grip on your penis.
- When urine stops, slowly remove the catheter.
- Wash the catheter, rinse it thoroughly, and let it air-dry.
- Store the catheter in a clean, dry plastic bag or other clean storage container.
For Women:
- A clean catheter (Your doctor will prescribe the one that's best for you.)
- Water-soluble lubricating jelly (not petroleum jelly)
- Soap and water or moist towelettes
- A toilet or basin in which to collect the urine
- A clean, dry storage container (such as a plastic bag)
- A mirror (Use it to help you find your urethra at first, but practice finding it without one.)
- Wash your hands.
- Wash your genitals with warm, soapy water or a moist towelette. Always wash from front to back.
- Sit, stand, or lie down in a comfortable position.
- If desired, lubricate about 1 to 2 inches of the catheter tip. Place the catheter's other end in the toilet or basin.
- Spread the lips of your vulva.
- To find your urethra without a mirror, place your last three fingers on you vagina, then feel for your urethra with your index finger.
- Keeping the lips of the vulva spread, insert the catheter slowly into your urethra.
- If the catheter becomes hard to insert, relax, take a deep breath, and bear down as if trying to urinate.
- When urine begins to flow, stop inserting the catheter.
- When urine stops, slowly remove the catheter.
- Wash the catheter, rinse it thoroughly, and let it air-dry.
- Store the catheter in a clean, dry plastic bag or other clean storage container.