How to Discreetly Pee Outside in Public

Choosing a Suitable Location

Step as far away as you can from nearby crowds. Whether you’re with friends, teammates, or random strangers, make your best effort to find a semi-secluded (or completely secluded) place where you can conduct your business privately. A treeline or forest could be a great option if there’s one nearby. If you’re a cisgender male, it's fine for you to start peeing as soon as you’ve found a semi-private spot. Just try to make sure that all cars or passersby are far enough away and will only see your back if they see you at all. In the hiking and camping communities, it’s a common practice to step 200 ft (0.061 km) (around 70 steps) away from nearby campsites or hiking trails as a courtesy to others. Try to follow that philosophy as much as possible whenever/wherever you decide to pee outside! Some outdoor enthusiasts also suggest finding an inclined spot to pee, so the urine travels along the slope (rather than collecting near you).

Best Peeing Strategies for Females

Wear carefully layered clothes. Slip into comfortable, snug shorts with a short skirt layered over top. When you have to pee, the skirt will keep you covered even after you pull your shorts down. If you anticipate being in a situation where you’ll have to discreetly pee outside, try wearing a more flexible garment ahead of time, like shorts or pants made by Zip Hers (a brand that features a zipper that goes to the back waistband).

Get in a lunge position. Prop your right knee up so your right thigh and calf create a right angle. Rest your left knee on the ground so your left leg extends back. Carefully lower your shorts and maneuver the fabric so it’s not blocking your genitals. Start urinating whenever you feel comfortable doing so. This method works best for people who are assigned female at birth (AFAB). It can also help to layer a skirt over your shorts to give yourself a little more privacy.

Lean against a tree. Identify which side of the tree gives you the best coverage from any people you’re near. Squat down, leaning your back against the tree as you go. Then, carefully lower your shorts or pants so you have enough space to comfortably urinate without soiling your clothes.

Cover yourself with a sarong or shawl and squat. Secure the sarong, shawl, towel, or another large piece of fabric around your hips (so your groin area is completely covered up). Then, squat down and do your business, letting the fabric completely block your backside.

Use a pee funnel. A pee funnel is a conical device placed near the urethra that makes it easier for AFAB individuals to direct and control their pee stream. If you’re able to find a somewhat secluded area, partially pull down your pants (or unzip your fly) and place the pee funnel over your urethra. There are a lot of different pee funnels out there. Browse online and find one that’s best for you and your body type!

Staying Clean (for Females)

Wipe yourself clean with a pee rag. If you anticipate needing to pee outdoors frequently, it could be worth getting a pee rag—a reusable piece of fabric that you use in place of toilet paper. Any type of cloth can work for this, but a Kula Cloth is your best bet if you want something antimicrobial. Wipe yourself with the cloth in the same way you’d use toilet paper. Be sure to clean the pee rag as soon as you get back home.

Wear a pantyliner to catch any extra moisture. Stick a pantyliner to the center of your underwear if you expect you’ll need to pee outside. If you’re an AFAB individual, it’s easy to soil your underwear while peeing outside—a pantyliner can help soak up some of the mess.

Take an extra baggy with you if you use toilet paper. It’s a great idea to take some toilet paper with you if you anticipate needing to pee outside. However, leaving your TP on the ground isn’t a great idea. Once you’ve wiped yourself down, stick the used toilet paper in a bag so it’s easy to dispose of later. If you aren’t able to bring any sort of rag or toilet paper with you, try to shake off the extra urine before standing back up.

Bring an extra pair of underwear if you need it. If peeing outside is a frequent necessity for you, it could be worth packing an extra pair or two of underwear before you head out. That way, if your underwear gets soiled by mistake, you’ll have a clean replacement at the ready.

Stay clean with hand sanitizer. Squeeze a small dollop of hand sanitizer onto your hands—make sure there’s enough to coat your fingers, palms, and the back of your hands. For the next 20 seconds or so, massage your hands together until they no longer feel damp to the touch.

Relaxation Tips for Females

Try different relaxation exercises while you pee. Before preparing to pee in a more public area, review some common relaxation strategies that can help lower anxiety and promote relaxation, like: Visualization: Envision a soothing place in your mind, like a calm lake or a babbling brook. Pretend that you’re actually there—what do you see? What do you smell? What do you hear? Progressive muscle relaxation: Split your muscles into different groups (e.g., toes, feet, calves, thighs, etc.). Tense up and relax these muscle groups separately, ending with the muscles around your head. Deep breathing: Take several deep, slow breaths. As you breathe, focus on how your body feels during the process.

Practice peeing in unfamiliar locations. If the idea of peeing outside makes you anxious, don’t fret—instead, focus on adjusting yourself to the foreign experience. Start by peeing in places that are a little out of your comfort zone (like at a friend or relative’s home) before transitioning to more public locations (like a public restroom or in the great outdoors).