Travel urinals come in a variety of types. Some are disposable and meant to be thrown away after one use. If the urinal will be used frequently, parents may want to cut down on the cost and environmental impact by buying a reusable model. Multi-use travel urinals come in either a seat, a bag with a funnel or a bucket with a lid design. Consider which will best meet your needs in terms of portability and ease of cleaning while also being easy to use for your child.
Urinals are easier to use if you stop the car. Unless you are on an extremely tight schedule, it is worth pulling over for the kid to use the bathroom -- it isn't a mess that you want to clean out of your car. Make sure that you find a private place for your child to use the urinal. The side of the road may be okay if it there is not a lot of traffic and you can see for a long ways. Otherwise, you can often find an empty side road just a short distance from the main road.
Some travel urinals come with plastic bag liners. This type of urinal is the easiest to clean. Simply tie the bag shut, remove it from the urinal and toss it in the trash. Other urinals should be thoroughly rinsed out with water. They can then be wiped with a towelette or scrubbed with a cleaning product. They should be rinsed again and dried. If the urinal begins to develop an odor, dust it with baking soda, which should neutralize the smell.
Many types of travel urinals are sold with female-friendly adapters. These types of bathrooms are even used by airline pilots or other professionals who may be unable to get to a bathroom because of their job duties. Girls may need more encouragement to use a travel urinal as they are used to using a toilet. Finding a private spot can help. Also, assure your daughter that these types of toilets are "not just for boys."
