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Emptying a drainable stoma bag | CION Cancer Clinics
Empty a drainable bag when it is about a third to half full, before its weight pulls on the seal. Sit well back on the toilet or squat facing the pan, open the outlet low over the bowl, let it drain, wipe the opening clean and close it. The bag stays stuck on. This page covers the steps, emptying away from home, and when the output itself is a warning. CION Cancer Clinics’ surgical oncologists in Hyderabad can talk this through with you.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Muralidhar MuddusettyConsultant Surgical Oncologist · MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery, AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- When and how do I empty a drainable stoma bag?
- What are the steps to empty it cleanly?
- How do I empty it away from my own bathroom?
- What should I carry in my emptying kit?
- What do people worry about when emptying a bag?
- What should the output look like, and what can this page not tell me?
- Common questions about emptying a stoma bag
The short answer
When and how do I empty a drainable stoma bag?
Empty the bag when it is about a third to half full. Sit well back on the toilet, open the outlet over the bowl, let the output drain, wipe the end clean and close it again. The bag stays stuck to your skin the whole time.
Why not wait until it is full
A full bag is heavy. The weight drags on the sticky baseplate and can break the seal, which leads to leaks and sore skin. A full bag also bulges under clothes and is harder to empty neatly. Emptying early is quicker, cleaner and easier on the skin.
How often that turns out to be
With an ileostomy, where the output is loose, most people empty several times a day and once at night. With a colostomy using a drainable bag, it may be fewer times. A urostomy bag has a tap and is emptied often, because urine flows all the time. Your own count is whatever keeps the bag from getting heavy.
Emptying is not the same as changing. You empty many times a day. You change the whole bag only every few days or when it leaks.Step by step
What are the steps to empty it cleanly?
Get into position
Sit well back on a western toilet, or squat or kneel facing an Indian toilet. Lay a few sheets of toilet paper on the water first. It stops splashing and helps the output go down.
Lift and open
Hold the end of the bag up so nothing spills. Undo the clip or unroll the fastening. Point the opening down into the bowl.
Let it drain
Lower the end and gently squeeze the bag from top to bottom. If the output is thick, a little water squirted up into the opening can help loosen it.
Clean the outlet
Wipe the inside and outside of the opening with toilet paper or a damp wipe until it is clean and dry. Output left on the edge causes smell.
Close and wash your hands
Roll or clip the end shut and check it is sealed. Flush, then wash your hands with soap and water.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
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How do I empty it away from my own bathroom?
Most worries are about emptying at work, while travelling or at night. Each has a simple fix.
At work or outside
Choose a toilet with a door that closes fully. Carry a small pouch with wipes, a spare bag, a disposal bag and a clip. Empty before leaving home and before long meetings or journeys.
On a bus or train
Toilets on long journeys are small and move about. Empty just before you board. Use the toilet early rather than waiting for the bag to fill.
Carry
- Wipes and a small water bottle
- A complete spare bag
At night
Output often continues while you sleep, especially with an ileostomy. Empty just before bed. Many people set an alarm to empty once in the night until they learn their pattern.
A urostomy bag is usually linked to a larger night bag, so you do not need to wake.When a family member helps
An older or bedbound person can be emptied into a jug or bedpan held under the outlet. Use gloves, keep the person's clothes dry, and clean the outlet as carefully as you would at a toilet.
What to keep ready
What should I carry in my emptying kit?
- Soft toilet paper or dry wipes for the outlet
- A spare clip if your bag uses one
- A complete spare bag, already cut to size
- Small disposal bags that close
- A small bottle of water to rinse the outlet
- Hand gel for when soap is not available
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When the output itself is the warning
If you are emptying far more often than usual with watery output and feel dizzy, very thirsty or are passing little urine, you may be losing too much fluid. If the bag stays empty for many hours and you have tummy pain, swelling or vomiting, the stoma may be blocked. Call your surgical team or go to the emergency department the same day for either.
Commonly believed
What do people worry about when emptying a bag?
"Everyone will smell it when I empty."
There is some smell while the bag is open, just as there is with any trip to the toilet. It goes quickly once the outlet is wiped and closed. A smell that lingers after closing usually means the outlet was not fully cleaned.
"I should rinse the inside of the bag every time."
Rinsing inside is not needed and can push water under the baseplate or wet the filter. Clean the outlet well and leave the inside alone.
"Eating less means I will not have to empty so often."
Cutting down food or water to reduce output is risky, especially with an ileostomy, where it can lead to dehydration. Eat and drink normally and let the bag do its job.
"You cannot use an Indian toilet with a stoma."
Many people do. Squat or kneel facing the pan, hold the bag outlet low and aim into the bowl. A little practice at home makes it easy.
Being straight with you
What should the output look like, and what can this page not tell me?
The output changes with the type of stoma. From an ileostomy it is loose, like thick soup or porridge, and it comes often. From a colostomy it is usually softer or firmer stool, closer to what you had before. From a urostomy it is urine, often with a little white mucus.
Changes that are usually harmless
Beetroot turns the output red. Iron tablets can make it dark. Some foods, like corn or peel, may pass through whole. Output is often looser in the first weeks after surgery and settles as eating returns to normal.
What this page cannot judge
This page cannot tell you whether your output is normal for your operation. How much comes out, and how thick it is, depends on how much bowel was removed and where the stoma sits. Your surgical team or stoma nurse knows those details. If the output changes suddenly and stays changed, tell them rather than guessing.
A drainable bag does not suit everyone. Someone with a firm, regular colostomy may find a closed bag simpler.Questions we are asked
Common questions about emptying a stoma bag
The output is too thick to drain. What helps?
Squeeze gently from the top of the bag down. A small amount of water squirted into the outlet can loosen it. Drinking enough through the day also helps keep output soft. If thick output keeps sticking at the top of the bag, the filter may be blocked or you may need a product that reduces sticking.
How do I stop splashes on my clothes?
Put a layer of toilet paper on the water before you start. Sit well back or squat close to the pan, and hold the outlet low. Tuck a saree pallu, dupatta or shirt out of the way first. With practice, most people empty without any mess at all.
Can I empty the bag sitting down like normal?
Yes. Sitting well back on a western toilet with your knees apart is the easiest position for most people. Some find it easier to sit the other way round, facing the cistern. Try both at home and use whatever feels steady.
My clip keeps coming undone. What should I do?
Check that the end is folded the number of times the box shows before closing. Replace a clip that has lost its grip. Some people find a bag with a built-in fold-over fastening easier than a separate clip. Ask your stoma nurse for a sample to try.
Is it normal to empty at night?
With an ileostomy, yes. Most people wake once to empty, especially in the first months. Eating the main meal earlier in the evening can reduce night output for some people. Check with your team before changing how much you drink.
How do I get rid of the used wipes and paper?
Toilet paper can be flushed. Wet wipes and any other waste should go into a small bag, tied shut, and into the household bin. Never flush wipes, as they block drains. Used bags from a change are emptied first, then wrapped and binned the same way.
Can a family member empty the bag for a patient?
Yes. Ask the stoma nurse to show the carer before discharge. Use disposable gloves, empty into a jug or bedpan if the person cannot reach a toilet, and clean the outlet well. Keep the person's dignity in mind by closing the door and covering them.
When is a change in output a reason to call?
Call the same day if watery output suddenly increases and you feel dizzy or pass little urine, or if nothing comes out for many hours with pain or vomiting. Blood in the output that does not stop, or a stoma that turns dark, also needs a same-day call.
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Sources
- American Cancer Society — Ileostomy Guide
- American Cancer Society — Ostomies
- NHS — Ileostomy
- NHS — Colostomy
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
How Often Should a Bag Be Changed?Emptying and changing are two different routinesPancaking: Why Output Sticks at the TopWhen thick output will not drain downDehydration With a High-Output StomaWhen you are emptying far more than usualOdour Control With a StomaKeeping smell down while emptying away from home
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