Preparation, Emptying and Disposal

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When you are in hospital or with someone that may be supporting you at home, you will be taught how to change your stoma bag so, by the time you leave, you will be familiar with the process. With practice, your confidence will grow and stoma bag changing should eventually only add a few minutes to your normal bathroom routine.

The step by step pictorial guides in this section will help to guide you and serve as a useful reminder, whether you're changing a one piece stoma bag or a two piece stoma bag.

Preparation for stoma bag changing

The ideal setting for changing your stoma bag is the bathroom but it can be done anywhere you are comfortable and have space to lay out the items you need.

Before starting your bag change, make sure you have the following to hand:

Warm water, either in a bowl or from the tap if close by
Non-woven wipes
Disposal bags
Medical adhesive remover if required (e.g. Appeel)
Fresh stoma bag
Deodorant spray if required (e.g. Limone or CliniPeel Mint)

The next step after preparation is the actual changing of your stoma bag which involves emptying and disposal of your old bag as part of this process.

Changing a one piece and two piece stoma bag

Two piece stoma bags have a separate adhesive (flange/baseplate) with a raised collar over which the stoma bag is fitted. The flange can be kept on for 2 -3 days and the new bags can be attached when necessary.

Wash hands
If using a drainable or urostomy bag empty the contents of your stoma bag into the toilet

Apply a small amount of medical adhesive remover spray or wipe on top and around the edge of the flange to be removed and wait a few seconds

Gently peel back the flange, holding the skin above taut to ease removal. Apply additional medical adhesive remover if required
Remove excess soiling on the stoma and surrounding skin with a dry, non-woven wipe

Use water to wet a non-woven wipe and wash stoma and surrounding area, then dry thoroughly
If necessary, check the size of your stoma using a measuring card

If your pouch or flange needs adjusting, cut a hole to the required size using a pair of pouch cutting scissors*

* POUCH CUTTING SCISSORS ARE AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE OR A POUCH CUTTING SERVICE IS AVAILABLE, ALSO FREE OF CHARGE, TO CURRENT USERS OF THE SECURICARE HOME DELIVERY SERVICE.

Remove the protective cover from the adhesive flange/baseplate on the fresh stoma bag

One Piece


Fit bag from the bottom and smooth over the adhesive from the stoma to the edge, ensuring there are no creases that might cause leakage	Hold in place with your hand for 30 seconds to a minute, as the warmth improves the adhesion to your skin If using a drainable or urostomy pouch make sure the opening or tap is securely closed before applying the new pouch

Emptying and disposing of your used stoma bag

The method of emptying and disposing varies according to the type of stoma bags that you use:

Drainable and urostomy bags

Empty the contents of your stoma bag into the toilet, then place the used pouch and any wipes into a disposal bag. Seal the bag and put into the domestic refuse bin, then wash your hands.

Colostomy bags

Put the bag, along with its contents and any wipes, into a disposal bag. Seal the bag and put into the domestic refuse bin and then wash your hands. Alternatively, some colostomates with looser output may prefer to cut the bag and empty the contents into the toilet before disposal.

If you are using Aura Flushable colostomy bags, you can flush the inner liner and flange in domestic toilets, septic tanks and single flush siphonic systems, meaning only the clean outer bag needs to be disposed of in the bin.

Domestic Waste versus Clinical Waste services

While it is fine to dispose of used stoma bags into normal domestic waste, some local authorities offer a ‘yellow bag’ clinical waste service for stoma bags if you prefer. They will provide the yellow bags and collect the waste. Contact your local council for information but please note there may be a charge for the service.