How to Hide That You Peed Your Pants

Co-authored by Dan Hickey

Last Updated: November 13, 2024 Fact Checked

Peeing your pants in public can be very disheartening. Some kids and even adults have issues that make this a frequent problem. When this happens to you, the last thing you want is for someone to notice. There are three main problems to this issue: getting to the bathroom, drying the stain, and covering up any smell.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Getting Away Without Getting Noticed

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1
Excuse yourself from what you are doing. This may be hard in a large group of people, so try to get up without attracting attention.
- Try quickly walking away while the people around you are distracted. Watch where you are going so you don't bump into someone by accident.
- Remain calm. If you seem nervous, people are more likely to notice. If you don't know the people around you, try to walk slowly so you don't attract attention. If you do know the people, try to make a hasty retreat to the bathroom.
- Don't slouch or cover the spot. If you do, you will likely attract attention and receive questions.
- Remember that it’s unlikely others have noticed your accident. You are far more aware of it than anyone around you.^{[1]
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2
Cover your pants with a jacket or sweater. This can be an easy way to cover the wet spot on your pants so you can get to the bathroom. It's best to tie it from the back because that's how normal people tie it. If you have a shirt that is long enough, pull it down so it can cover your front area.
- Wrap the jacket around your waist.
- Remain calm so you don't look suspicious. Act like nothing is wrong.
- Calmly get to a bathroom or get home to address the urine as soon as you can.
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3
Or, spill your drink on your lap. This generally only works if you are at a restaurant or if you have a drink in your hand, but this can be a good cover if you don't have a jacket to cover your pants.
- This will give an excuse to why your pants are wet before you can excuse yourself to the restroom.
- Make a joke that you are clumsy and laugh it off like spilling the drink was an accident.
- Excuse yourself to the restroom to clean up. If no one saw you urinate, you might even just say that your urine spot is a spilled drink and avoid pouring more liquid onto your clothes.^{[2]
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4
Get to the bathroom as fast as possible. You can see if you can clean up the stain or if you need to go home.
- Look in the mirror or get into a stall for more privacy.
- If the stain is minor, you can try cleaning it up. If not, make some excuse to go home.
5
Make up an excuse to get away. This is pretty easy to do if you can make it believable. Some common excuses are:
- “It's late. I have to go home otherwise my mom/partner will get worried.”
- “I have homework to do.”
- “I have a PowerPoint presentation to make.”
- “I just realized I forgot to turn off the gas.”
- “I need to go now.”

Part 2

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Dealing With the Stain and Smell

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1
Wet your pants with cold water. You will want to do this to get any of the pee out of the fabric. Avoid hot water, as this can set the stain.^{[3]
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Research source} This can help you get rid of a urine smell as well.
- If you can do so discreetly, splash water on the stain in the restroom.
- If not, get a wet paper towel and rub the stain in the bathroom stall in privacy.
- You will probably want to try to get any smell or stains out of your underwear as well. Do this in the bathroom stall so no one else notices.
2
Pat the stain dry with paper towels. This will get most of the moisture out of your pants and/or underwear.
- Use plenty of paper towels.
- Dab away at the stain slowly.
- When you can't soak up any more moisture with paper towels, try using the hand dryer.
3
Use the hand dryer. Walk up to it and point the stain towards the air. Stand with your legs apart to help you get dry faster. Sway your hips as you dry the stain to get all wet areas.
- Stand in front of the dryer until your pants feel dry.
- Touch them to make sure they don't feel wet.
4
Take a look in the mirror in the bathroom. See if there is any noticeable wet spot on your pants. If there is, try soaking up more moisture with paper towels.
- Follow up with the hand dryer.
- Once you are dry, you can go back to what you were doing if you can't find an excuse to leave.
5
Try using water and a little bit of hand soap. This will help to clean the urine smell out of your pants.
- Put a dab of soap in your hand and rub it into the pants when you get into a bathroom stall. Then, dab at the stain with a paper towel.
- Rinse the soap out with a new, damp paper towel. Then pat dry or use the hand dryer.
- Smell your pants to see if there is a noticeable smell.
6
Try spraying the pants with perfume or cologne. This can help cover up a smell in your clothes.
- Spray the perfume or cologne directly onto the stain.
- Make sure it's a strong scent so it covers any odor.
- Before leaving the bathroom, double check to see if you can smell anything.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Avoiding Any More Accidents

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If you feel like you have to pee, use the bathroom instead of holding it. Holding for too long can lead to urine leakages or more bladder problems down the road.^{[4]
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Research source} If you can't use the bathroom, try finding another “emergency” option like a bottle, a field, or an alleyway.
2
Watch what you eat or drink. Sometimes, you may be drinking or eating something that triggers an urge to urinate. Limit or cut back on these items to reduce your chances of urinating at inopportune times. For example:
- Coffee or caffeinated drinks are diuretics that increase urine production.^{[5]
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  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  
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- Alcoholic drinks often trigger urination because alcohol is a bladder irritant.^{[6]
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  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  
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- Watermelons and other fruits and vegetables with high water content, like cucumbers and strawberries, may make overactive bladder tendencies worse.^{[7]
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3
If you keep having accidents, you may need to see your doctor. Urinary incontinence is a condition where you have no control over your bladder. If you think you have this condition, contact your doctor.^{[8]
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Trustworthy Source

National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK

Go to source}
- Sometimes after giving birth, your bladder's strength will decrease. Contact your doctor for some tips and exercises to strengthen your bladder, like doing kegels or changing your diet.^{[9]
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  Cleveland Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  
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- Wear some protection like diapers or pads to hide some of the pee.^{[10]
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  Trustworthy Source
  
  National Health Service (UK)
  Public healthcare system of the UK
  
  Go to source}

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Tips

Consider wearing incontinence pants if you pee your pants frequently.^{[11]
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National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK

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If this happens to you frequently because of a medical or psychological condition, try carrying a change of pants and underwear with you.

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If someone does notice you, ask them to be as quiet about it as possible.

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

If you're in school and you pee in the middle of class, make sure to notify your teacher if you're comfortable, or just raise your hand to go to the bathroom. If you need an excuse, say you spilled your water bottle on yourself.
If you're in public, go into a private bathroom stall and take off any of your clothes that are soiled. Rinse your clothes out in the sink if you need to, or change into new clothes if you have some with.

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