Aquaguard for Bathing and Showering with a Central Line

Your team recommends your child use AquaGuard® to protect their central line during bathing or showering. It’s important to keep the dressing and catheter completely dry. Learn more about home hygiene with a central line. If the dressing or catheter gets wet, or water leaks under the AquaGuard, at home or in the hospital, contact your healthcare team right away. A trained nurse may need to change the dressing or cap, and the line should not be used until the team says it is safe.

If you are at home and not working with a home infusion agency, call your child’s central line care team right away. If you cannot reach them, go to the emergency room.

Important information about AquaGuard:

• AquaGuard is a moisture barrier used to protect your child’s central line and dressing from getting wet during a shower or bath. Keeping the line and dressing dry helps prevent urgent central line care and possible complications.

• AquaGuard is a barrier for bathing and showering only and is not for swimming. A child with a central line cannot go swimming or have their central line submerged under water.

• If you will use an AquaGuard at home, the healthcare team will show you how to use it. Practice applying this product before discharge, so you know what to do for a bath or shower at home.

Instructions for applying AquaGuard for bath or shower:

Wash your hands with soap or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer for 15 seconds.
Choose an AquaGuard size that is large enough to fully cover the central line dressing and catheter. The adhesive edges should not touch the dressing, only the skin around the dressing. The image to the right shows incorrect placement. The AquaGuard is applied directly on the dressing.
Remove the paper backing from one edge of the AquaGuard at a time. Fold a small tab on each paper backing strip so that the backing can be easily removed while applying each side.
Peel off the backing and firmly apply one adhesive edge above the top of the central line dressing.
Apply the adhesive edges in the sides to surround the entire catheter and dressing like a picture frame. Firmly apply one side at a time. Do not remove all paper backing strips at once.
Tuck the catheter under the AquaGuard so that the catheter cannot get wet. Cover the cap with a plastic covering like ValGuard® before tucking under the larger AquaGuard. This offers additional protection from moisture for the cap. Important: If you are a dialysis or apheresis patient, do not tuck the catheter under the AquaGuard.
If there is excess plastic, pinch it together to make a pleat.
Fold the pleat to the side to seal the material. Run your finger along each side of the AquaGuard adhesive as a final sealing step.
The AquaGuard only protects the dressing and catheter from splashing water. Do not direct water spray to the AquaGuard. Do not submerge the AquaGuard under water. Learn more about home hygiene with a central line.

Instructions for removing AquaGuard:

1. Dry your child and the outside of the AquaGuard before removing the AquaGuard.

2. Gently peel the AquaGuard down in the same direction as your child's hair growth. Start at the top left or top right corner. Do not disturb the central line dressing or catheter.

3. Do not use scissors to remove the AquaGuard.

4. Throw the AquaGuard away after the shower or bath. Use a fresh AquaGuard with each shower or bath. Never re-use an AquaGuard.

Instructions for troubleshooting issues with AquaGuard:

Sticking to Dressing

If the AquaGuard sticks to the central line dressing or the dressing starts to peel up while you remove it, stop and do not remove it further.

• In the hospital, call your nurse.

• At home, if your child has a home infusion agency, call the agency right away.

• If your child does not have a home infusion agency, call the healthcare team managing the central line or go to the emergency room.

Skin Irritation

If your child’s skin is red, irritated, or has a reaction to AquaGuard, talk to the central line care team before stopping its use. Stopping without guidance may raise the risk of line soiling and complications. Other products or different AquaGuard shapes and sizes may be recommended for children with sensitivities.

Supply Issues

If you didn’t receive enough AquaGuard or were given a different product, contact your home infusion agency. Your insurance plan and home infusion agency may require that another product be provided. 

Your healthcare team may also have samples, and AquaGuard is available for purchase in stores or online.

Call the CHOP team managing your child's central line with any questions or concerns.

Reviewed May 2025 by Jean Abraitis, BSN, RN, Maureen Baylis, MSN, RN, Katy Murtaugh, BSN, RN, Lauren Le Goff, MS, CIC, Samantha Steich, BSN, RN, Melanie Brandan MSN, RN, VA-BC, Megan Lynch, MSN, RN