How to Pee in a Bottle (With or Without a Funnel)

Plus the best pee bottles you can find for purchase online

Co-authored by Sophie Burkholder, BA

Last Updated: July 1, 2025 Fact Checked

We’ve all been there: you’re on a road trip or stuck in a tent, and there isn’t a bathroom in sight. And when you gotta go, well, you gotta go! Luckily, if you have a bottle around, you may have a solution to your problem. Peeing in a bottle may seem tricky, but with the right approach, it’s much easier than you might think. To help you do it, we’ve put together a simple list you can follow to relieve yourself without making a mess.

Peeing in a Bottle: Quick Steps

Grab the largest and widest-mouth bottle you have.
Get the bottle’s mouth as close to your genitals as possible.
Hold the bottle at a 45º angle as you begin to pee.
If you have one, use a pee funnel to better direct your urine.
Secure the lid and dispose of the bottle in a designated trash can ASAP.

1

Choose the largest wide-mouth bottle you have.

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You don’t want to run out of room while you’re still going. While the exact amount can vary from person to person, most people pee about 2 cups (470 mL) at a time. The last thing you want is an overflow situation, so make sure you choose a bottle that can hold enough liquid (if you’re using an empty drink bottle, it’ll usually list how much volume the bottle holds on the label). Choose a bottle with as wide of a mouth as you can to avoid potential messes—it can be tougher to “aim” for smaller openings on bottles.^{[1]
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- A sports drink bottle, such as a Gatorade bottle, typically has a wider mouth than a water bottle.
- Avoid using a glass bottle or can. Glass bottles usually have much smaller openings, and cans have edges that could potentially cut you—something nobody wants happening!

2

Place the bottle’s opening as close to your body as possible.

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Make aiming as easy as possible to avoid messes. When you’re ready to go, get into a position that allows you to hold the opening of the bottle right next to your body. For some, that may be a kneeling position, while others may want to take a comfortable squatting position, especially in a cramped space like a vehicle or tent.^{[2]
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- If you’re driving a car, pull over so you can safely go to the restroom. Don’t try to go while you’re driving—this could lead to spills (or worse, a car accident). It might even be helpful to climb into the backseat to give yourself more room to use the bottle.

3

Use a pee funnel to direct the urine into the bottle.

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Pee funnels can be especially useful for women to pee into bottles. If you’re worried about potential spills or missing the opening of the bottle, place a pee funnel against your body and use the device to direct the stream into the bottle. If you’re in a pinch, you could make a cone with a sheet of paper to act as a makeshift funnel. Just be sure to toss or clean the funnel when you’re finished!^{[3]
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- You can find pee funnels at your local sports and outdoors shops. You can also order them online.
- Here are some of the best-reviewed pee funnels for sale online:
  - Sunany Female Urination Device – rated 4.4 stars on Amazon.
  - TRIPTIPS Pee Conch – rated 4.4 stars on Amazon.
  - pStyle Female Urination Funnel – rated 4.6 stars on Amazon.
- Alternatively, you can try a portable urine or pee bottle—here are some recommendations:
  - Tilcare Travel Urine Collection Container – rated 4.5 stars on Amazon.
  - CUNQN Urinals for Men Pee Bottle – rated 4.4 stars on Amazon.
  - MedVance Portable Urinal for Car – rated 4.3 stars on Amazon.

4

Tilt the bottle at a 45-degree angle as you go.

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With the bottle in position close to your body, slowly start to pee, making sure you’re making it into the bottle. Hold the bottle so the mouth is tilted slightly toward the ground or floor. That way, the liquid is less likely to quickly overfill the bottle or potentially flow back toward you and create a mess.^{[4]
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5

Seal the bottle when you’re finished.

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Keep the bottle closed up nice and tight until you can dispose of it. Once the deed is done, try to quickly close the lid to help keep the smell contained. Keep the bottle stored away until you can properly dispose of it.^{[5]
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- If the bottle doesn’t have a lid or you don’t want to keep it stored, you can empty it out somewhere (like the side of the road on an empty stretch). But don’t litter and leave the bottle behind!

6

Wash your hands after you go.

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It’s important to reduce the spread of germs that could get you sick. There’s one main reason why washing your hands after going to the bathroom is important: you’ll get rid of germs that can make you and others sick.^{[6]
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Cleveland Clinic
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Go to source} Use some hand sanitizer or a sanitizing wipe to wash up when you’re finished.^{[7]
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- If you have access to it, use soap and water to wash your hands.

7

Mark the bottle so you don’t forget its contents.

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You don’t want there to be any potential mix-ups! Take a marker and make some kind of identifying marking on the bottle, such as an “X.” You could even write something like “Do not drink.” Just clearly mark the bottle, so that no one accidentally uses it or drinks from it.^{[8]
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- You may also want to keep the bottle stashed away out of sight, just to be safe.

8

Dispose of the bottle properly when you’re done with it.

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Leaving bottles full of pee on the side of the road is not only gross and bad for the environment, but it’s also illegal in many places, and you could face a hefty fine for it. Wait until you come across a dumpster or trash can and properly dispose of the bottle.^{[9]
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Expert Q&A

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Question

What does it mean when you pee way too much?

Robert Dhir, MD
Board Certified Urologist & Urological Surgeon
Dr. Robert Dhir is a board certified Urologist, Urological Surgeon, and the Founder of HTX Urology in Houston, Texas. With over 10 years of experience, Dr. Dhir’s expertise includes minimally-invasive treatments for enlarged prostate (UroLift), kidney stone disease, surgical management of urological cancers, and men’s health (erectile dysfunction, low testosterone, and infertility). His practice has been named a Center of Excellence for the UroLift procedure, and is a pioneer in non-surgical procedures for ED using his patented Wave Therapy. He earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from Georgetown University and was awarded honors in pre-medical studies, urology, orthopedics, and ophthalmology. Dr. Dhir served as chief resident during his urological surgical residency at University of Texas at Houston / MD Anderson Cancer Center in addition to completing his internship in general surgery. Dr. Dhir was voted Top Doctor in Urology for 2018 to 2019, one of the top three Best Rated Urologists in 2019 & 2020 for Houston Texas, and Texas Monthly has named him to the 2019 & 2020 Texas Super Doctors Rising Stars list.

Robert Dhir, MD

Board Certified Urologist & Urological Surgeon

Expert Answer

Frequent urination is often a sign of drinking too many fluids, but it's also associated with more serious conditions, like diabetes or neurological issues. Be sure to meet with a urologist if your frequent urination gets worse over time.

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Question

How much should you pee per trip?

Robert Dhir, MD
Board Certified Urologist & Urological Surgeon
Dr. Robert Dhir is a board certified Urologist, Urological Surgeon, and the Founder of HTX Urology in Houston, Texas. With over 10 years of experience, Dr. Dhir’s expertise includes minimally-invasive treatments for enlarged prostate (UroLift), kidney stone disease, surgical management of urological cancers, and men’s health (erectile dysfunction, low testosterone, and infertility). His practice has been named a Center of Excellence for the UroLift procedure, and is a pioneer in non-surgical procedures for ED using his patented Wave Therapy. He earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from Georgetown University and was awarded honors in pre-medical studies, urology, orthopedics, and ophthalmology. Dr. Dhir served as chief resident during his urological surgical residency at University of Texas at Houston / MD Anderson Cancer Center in addition to completing his internship in general surgery. Dr. Dhir was voted Top Doctor in Urology for 2018 to 2019, one of the top three Best Rated Urologists in 2019 & 2020 for Houston Texas, and Texas Monthly has named him to the 2019 & 2020 Texas Super Doctors Rising Stars list.

Robert Dhir, MD

Board Certified Urologist & Urological Surgeon

Expert Answer

It depends on how long you're traveling for, as well as how much fluid you're drinking. Most people can hold their bladder for 3-4 hours, but you might have the urge to go if you have drunk a lot.

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If there’s some leftover drink or liquid in the bottle, empty it out, so you have more room.

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Pee behind a boulder or a few bushes. You could also find two logs: sit on one and scoot forward so your privates are above the ground. Pee on the ground, then once you're done, get up (avoiding the puddle) and carry on with what you were doing.

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