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Drug Testing
How to Store Urine for a Drug Test Download ArticleExplore this Article methods 1 Storing Urine Properly 2 Reheating a Cold Urine Sample Other Sections Expert Q&A Video Tips and Warnings Related Articles References Co-authored by Scott Tobis, MD and Dan Hickey
Last Updated: April 18, 2025 Fact Checked
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This article was co-authored by Scott Tobis, MD and by wikiHow staff writer, Dan Hickey. Dr. Scott Tobis is a board certified Urologist. With more than seven years of experience, he specializes in treating patients for urologic conditions such as urologic cancers, prostate enlargement, vasectomy, kidney stones, frequent/urgent urination, erectile dysfunction, incontinence, and blood in the urine. Dr. Tobis holds a BS in Cellular and Developmental Biology from The University of California, Santa Barbara, and an MD from Dartmouth Medical School. He completed his internship in General Surgery and residency in Urologic Surgery at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and his fellowship in Urologic Oncology and Robotic Surgery at The City of Hope National Medical Center. Dr. Tobis is a diplomat of the American Board of Urology. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 736,374 times.
There are a lot of reasons you might need to store urine for a future drug test. Maybe you asked a friend to step in and provide a clean sample, or maybe you want to store a clean sample of your own urine for future use. Whether storing your own urine or someone else's, the sooner you can use it, the better. Keep it in an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze pee that you won't use within the hour. Simply bring the urine back to your body temperature to use it at a later date. Board certified urologist Scott Tobis, MD and registered nurse Daniela Castro advises on how to collect sterile urine and store it properly.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 2:
Storing Urine Properly
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1 Get a sample as close to the day and time of your test as possible. Castro recommends leaving as little time as possible between when you collect your urine sample and your drug test.[1]X Expert Source Daniela CastroRegistered NurseExpert Interview Urine starts to decompose and break down into ammonia as soon as it leaves the body, turning it darker, smellier, and more acidic.[2]XResearch source The longer the urine sits around, the less plausible it may be to use for a drug test.
To seem the most plausible, urine should be fresh and warm.
To collect a sterile urine sample, Tobis recommends a "mid-stream clean catch:"[3]X Expert Source Scott Tobis, MDBoard Certified UrologistExpert Interview
For males: “Clean the head of the penis with a safe antiseptic towelette or soap and water. Let the first portion of the urine stream go into the toilet, then use a sterile urine cup to catch the urine in the middle of the stream.”[4]X Expert Source Scott Tobis, MDBoard Certified UrologistExpert Interview
For females: “Clean the labia with a safe antiseptic towelette or soap and water. Spread the labia and discard the first portion of the [urine] stream into the toilet. Then, place a urine cup in the middle of the stream.”[5]X Expert Source Scott Tobis, MDBoard Certified UrologistExpert Interview
2 Store urine in a resealable plastic or glass container. Most often, the test administrator will give you a sterile container to use for urine collection and storage.[6]XResearch source If you don’t have one, use a plastic or glass container and boil it for 10 minutes to sterilize it.[7]XResearch source Make sure the container is airtight, so that no pee will spill out. Castro recommends using a plastic container for short-term storage, or a glass container for long-term storage, as plastic can leech other chemicals into the urine.[8]X Expert Source Daniela CastroRegistered NurseExpert Interview
You can also put the container in a resealable plastic bag for an extra layer of protection.
If you plan to store the urine long-term, label it with the date you collected the sample.
Keep in mind that glass can break if you freeze it or warm it up too fast.
The administrator of the drug test may give you a container to collect a simple in.
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3 Keep urine warm in the short term with hand warmers. If you plan to use a urine sample within the hour, store it in a small, airtight bottle, such as a pill bottle. Keep it warm with a hand warmer. Right before you take the test, remove the hand warmer and let the urine come back down to your body temperature (around 98.6°F or 37°C).[9]X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlusCollection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source
Use a rubber band to secure the hand warmer around the bottle.
4 Refrigerate urine as soon as possible if you plan to use it in more than 1 hour. The sooner you can refrigerate pee, the more viable the sample will be. It's best to refrigerate it as soon as you get the sample, but within 30 minutes will do.[10]X Trustworthy Source Johns Hopkins MedicineOfficial resource database of the world-leading Johns Hopkins Hospital Go to source
Use or freeze refrigerated urine within 1 day.
Do not freeze your urine sample for longer term storage.
5 Freeze a urine sample if you plan to use it within 4 months. If you don't plan to use your urine sample within 24 hours, it's best to freeze it. Keep the urine in an airtight container and use it within 4 months.[11]XResearch source
Urine samples that show evidence of repeated freezing and thawing may not be accepted for analysis, so plan to only freeze your sample once.
Sources differ on how long you can freeze urine and still use it. As a rule of thumb, the sooner you can use it, the better.
Be sure that you are freezing clean pee. Freezing pee that contains THC will increase the concentration.
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 2:
Reheating a Cold Urine Sample
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1 Let urine thaw at room temperature overnight if frozen. All frozen urine must thaw before processing.[12]XResearch source The best way to bring a urine sample to room temperature is by letting it defrost naturally. Microwaving urine could potentially damage the sample and make it unusable.
Make sure you use the sample within the day when you defrost it.
2 Use a heating pad, microwave, or hand warmers to bring the pee temperature up. Once the urine has reached room temperature, the next step is getting it up to body temperature, or even slightly higher since urine samples for drug tests must be 90 to 100 °F (32 to 38 °C).[13]XResearch source Wrap the bottle in a heating pad or hand warmer, or place it in the microwave for 10 seconds. If you use the microwave technique, it's a good idea to use a hand warmer to keep the sample warm while you are transporting it.
It's best to heat the sample to slightly above body temperature, as it will cool down in the time it takes for you to get to the test. The average normal body temperature is 98.6°F (37°C).[14]X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlusCollection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source
3 Keep the sample close to your body before using it. Keeping the sample against your body will preserve the temperature. It should be as close to your body temperature as possible. Acceptable temperature ranges for urine samples are between 90 to 100 °F (32 to 38 °C).[15]XResearch source
Try to keep the sample around your lower body, like in a bag between your thighs.
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Expert Q&A
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Question How do they test the urine in the cup? Daniela Castro Registered Nurse Daniela Castro is a Registered Nurse based in Denver, Colorado. She works at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center in Denver as a Nurse in the Emergency Department. She specializes in Emergency Care, and also has experience with Senior Living Care. Prior to nursing at St. Luke’s, she worked as a Patient Caregiver at Lincoln Meadows Senior Living. She received her nursing degree from Metropolitan State University of Denver. She received a BA in International Business & Marketing from Oklahoma State University. Daniela Castro Registered Nurse Expert Answer After a patient urinates in a cup, a small tube is then placed on top of the cup to transfer the urine to a separate container. The technician then labels the container and sends it to the lab for testing. That way, technicians never have to touch or come in direct contact with the urine. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 9 Helpful 10
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Warnings
Keep in mind that it is illegal to provide a false urine sample. Only go this route if you don't have other options.[16]XResearch sourceThanks Helpful 12 Not Helpful 4
If the testers believe that you provided a false sample, you may have to provide a second sample under direct supervision.[17]XResearch sourceThanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 6
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Co-authored by: Scott Tobis, MD Board Certified Urologist This article was co-authored by Scott Tobis, MD and by wikiHow staff writer, Dan Hickey. Dr. Scott Tobis is a board certified Urologist. With more than seven years of experience, he specializes in treating patients for urologic conditions such as urologic cancers, prostate enlargement, vasectomy, kidney stones, frequent/urgent urination, erectile dysfunction, incontinence, and blood in the urine. Dr. Tobis holds a BS in Cellular and Developmental Biology from The University of California, Santa Barbara, and an MD from Dartmouth Medical School. He completed his internship in General Surgery and residency in Urologic Surgery at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and his fellowship in Urologic Oncology and Robotic Surgery at The City of Hope National Medical Center. Dr. Tobis is a diplomat of the American Board of Urology. This article has been viewed 736,374 times. 7 votes - 100% Co-authors: 4Updated: April 18, 2025 Views: 736,374 Categories: Drug Testing
Medical Disclaimer
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.
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Download Article Explore this Article methods 1 Storing Urine Properly 2 Reheating a Cold Urine Sample Other Sections Expert Q&A Video Tips and Warnings Related Articles References Co-authored by Scott Tobis, MD and Dan Hickey 
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Co-authored by: Scott Tobis, MD Board Certified Urologist This article was co-authored by Scott Tobis, MD and by wikiHow staff writer, Dan Hickey. Dr. Scott Tobis is a board certified Urologist. With more than seven years of experience, he specializes in treating patients for urologic conditions such as urologic cancers, prostate enlargement, vasectomy, kidney stones, frequent/urgent urination, erectile dysfunction, incontinence, and blood in the urine. Dr. Tobis holds a BS in Cellular and Developmental Biology from The University of California, Santa Barbara, and an MD from Dartmouth Medical School. He completed his internship in General Surgery and residency in Urologic Surgery at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and his fellowship in Urologic Oncology and Robotic Surgery at The City of Hope National Medical Center. Dr. Tobis is a diplomat of the American Board of Urology. This article has been viewed 736,374 times. 7 votes - 100% Co-authors: 4 Updated: April 18, 2025 Views: 736,374 Categories: Drug Testing 
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1 Get a sample as close to the day and time of your test as possible. Castro recommends leaving as little time as possible between when you collect your urine sample and your drug test.[1] Urine starts to decompose and break down into ammonia as soon as it leaves the body, turning it darker, smellier, and more acidic.[2] The longer the urine sits around, the less plausible it may be to use for a drug test. 
2 Store urine in a resealable plastic or glass container. Most often, the test administrator will give you a sterile container to use for urine collection and storage.[6] If you don’t have one, use a plastic or glass container and boil it for 10 minutes to sterilize it.[7] Make sure the container is airtight, so that no pee will spill out. Castro recommends using a plastic container for short-term storage, or a glass container for long-term storage, as plastic can leech other chemicals into the urine.[8] 
3 Keep urine warm in the short term with hand warmers. If you plan to use a urine sample within the hour, store it in a small, airtight bottle, such as a pill bottle. Keep it warm with a hand warmer. Right before you take the test, remove the hand warmer and let the urine come back down to your body temperature (around 98.6°F or 37°C).[9] 
4 Refrigerate urine as soon as possible if you plan to use it in more than 1 hour. The sooner you can refrigerate pee, the more viable the sample will be. It's best to refrigerate it as soon as you get the sample, but within 30 minutes will do.[10] 
5 Freeze a urine sample if you plan to use it within 4 months. If you don't plan to use your urine sample within 24 hours, it's best to freeze it. Keep the urine in an airtight container and use it within 4 months.[11] 
1 Let urine thaw at room temperature overnight if frozen. All frozen urine must thaw before processing.[12] The best way to bring a urine sample to room temperature is by letting it defrost naturally. Microwaving urine could potentially damage the sample and make it unusable. 
2 Use a heating pad, microwave, or hand warmers to bring the pee temperature up. Once the urine has reached room temperature, the next step is getting it up to body temperature, or even slightly higher since urine samples for drug tests must be 90 to 100 °F (32 to 38 °C).[13] Wrap the bottle in a heating pad or hand warmer, or place it in the microwave for 10 seconds. If you use the microwave technique, it's a good idea to use a hand warmer to keep the sample warm while you are transporting it. 
3 Keep the sample close to your body before using it. Keeping the sample against your body will preserve the temperature. It should be as close to your body temperature as possible. Acceptable temperature ranges for urine samples are between 90 to 100 °F (32 to 38 °C).[15] 
Daniela Castro Registered Nurse Daniela Castro is a Registered Nurse based in Denver, Colorado. She works at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center in Denver as a Nurse in the Emergency Department. She specializes in Emergency Care, and also has experience with Senior Living Care. Prior to nursing at St. Luke’s, she worked as a Patient Caregiver at Lincoln Meadows Senior Living. She received her nursing degree from Metropolitan State University of Denver. She received a BA in International Business & Marketing from Oklahoma State University.