Home Collection Instructions

Urine Collection - Midstream Urine Collection

1. Wash genital area with towelettes provided, being careful not to touch the cleansed area.
   
   • Females – wipe front to back
   • Males – wipe end of penis
2. Begin voiding first part of urine into toilet, then collect the middle stream of urine into urine container (only a fourth of a cup of urine is needed).
3. After you have finished, wipe any spilled urine from the outside of the container. Check the container for your proper name.
4. Return specimen to the laboratory within 30 minutes or six hours if kept cold.

Random Clean Catch Urine Collection

1. Random specimens are collected any time.
2. For urine cultures, catheterized specimens are preferable from female patients, although adequate results are obtained from a midstream specimen following thorough washing with antiseptic soap and rinsing of external genitalia. Urine specimens from male patients following washing and rinsing of the glans yield satisfactory results. Cleansing technique is recommended before collection of midstream specimens, as bacterial contamination will invalidate chemical analysis as well as culture results.

Questions? Call 320-255-5999.