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Cloudy urine occurs when your pee looks milky or hazy. It should be clear, light yellow. The most common cause is high levels of alkaline. Treatment often includes drinking plenty of water and following healthy eating patterns. Cloudy urine is generally harmless. But frequent or repetitive cloudy urine could be a sign of a medical condition.
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Cloudy urine is when your pee has a milky color that isn’t clear. Generally, cloudy urine is harmless. But you may have an underlying medical condition if you have frequent or repetitive episodes of cloudy urine.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
Typically, urine is light yellow (like the color of straw) and see-through (transparent). Cloudy urine is foggy white to yellow.
The most common cause of cloudy urine is the presence of high amounts of alkaline. Urine consists of water, salts and kidney wastes. The balance of these components affects the pH of your urine. The pH scale is the levels of acids and bases (alkaline) in your urine. Typical urine acidic-to-alkaline levels range from 4.5 to 8 pH. Your pee is acidic if it measures under 5 pH. It’s alkaline (basic) if it measures 8 pH or higher.
Other common cloudy urine causes include:
Cloudy urine may be a side effect of diabetes. Diabetes can cause sugar to build up in your pee. High levels of sugar can cause cloudy urine.
Other diseases or disorders that may cause cloudy urine include:
Some medications that may cause cloudy urine include:
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Some foods may cause cloudy urine because they increase your alkaline levels. Your alkaline levels may be higher if you eat lots of fruits and vegetables while limiting your consumption of meats, grains and cheeses.
Some STIs cause cloudy urine. Cloudy urine isn’t the only symptom of many STIs, but a healthcare provider may factor it into your STI diagnosis. The following STIs have cloudy urine as a symptom:
It depends on its cause. Some cloudy urine treatments may include:
You can’t prevent all causes of cloudy urine. But you can help avoid some by drinking plenty of water and eating healthy foods every day. You can also visit a healthcare provider to treat infections early before they pose a greater threat to your health.
It’s OK to have cloudy urine sometimes. But if you have cloudy urine every time or almost every time you pee and it doesn’t go away within a few days, contact a healthcare provider.
Foamy urine is the result of how fast you pee. This causes air pockets to form in your pee, which creates a bubbly texture and a lot of bubbles in toilet water. Cloudy urine isn’t clear and appears to have a milky, yellow color instead of a typical, light-yellow color.
Contact a healthcare provider if you have consistently foamy urine. It could be a sign of kidney problems.
Urine odor can change. In most cases, it’s harmless and temporary. What you eat and if you take any vitamins or minerals can change how your pee smells. For example, asparagus and vitamin B6 supplements cause a strong odor in pee. Staying hydrated can prevent a strong urine odor. Drinking plenty of water can also prevent occasional cloudy urine.
Contact a healthcare provider if urine odor lasts more than a few days.
Cloudy urine is common and, in most cases, harmless. It often occurs due to natural changes in your body. Typically, it goes away quickly when you drink some extra water and eat well-balanced foods. But if the cloudiness in your pee doesn’t go away after a few days, reach out to a healthcare provider.
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Last reviewed on 09/05/2024.
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