Ensuring a Clean Sample

First Check^® Home Drug Tests are highly accurate in detecting drug use. But they can only work effectively when steps have not been taken to avoid a positive test result.

Below are tips to help ensure a clean sample, plus four of the most common methods used to avoid positive detection:

Testing Tips

On the day of the test, wake your child in the morning, let them know you will be testing them for drugs and escort him/her directly into the bathroom.
Use first morning urine, as it is typically the most concentrated and best for detecting the presence of drugs.
Stay in the bathroom and supervise urine collection-start to finish.
Have your child hand you the urine-filled cup immediately after collection. It should be warm to the touch.
Don't leave the sample unattended until you have the final test result and are sure you won't be sending it to the lab for confirmatory testing.

Common Ways of Avoiding a Positive Result

Dilution

If a tester drinks large amounts of water (at least one gallon) before taking a drug test, urine becomes diluted and metabolites from drugs may become undetectable.
This may cause the first round of results to be inconclusive. If a second test is necessary, more time will have passed and detectable quantities of drugs may have naturally passed through the system.
Another method of dilution is adding a drop of water to the sample. Whether ingested or added to a sample, water can make urine look extremely pale and raise red flags indicating that the sample has been tampered with.

Cleansing Products

There are an increasing number of products sold that claim to “cleanse the body of toxins” and specifically claim to mask illicit drugs in the system.
These formulated “detox” drinks are sold at local nutritional supplement stores and are widely available online.
They contain ingredients such as filtered water, fructose, maltodextrin, citric acid, potassium citrate, potassium benzoate, ascorbic acid, red 40, riboflavin, and more.
They work by masking the drug metabolites found in the urine. There is often a limited amount of time that these products can effectively conceal drug use (i.e., 3 to 4 hours).

Chemical Adulterants

Some of the most common agents that are added to a urine sample include bleach, eyedrops, hand soap, vinegar, table salt, and lemon juice.
These chemicals can be easily concealed in small vials and are usually added to the sample when individuals are taking the test unsupervised.

Synthetic Urine

Another common method for concealing drug use is to substitute “clean” urine that does not have any trace of illicit drugs.
This can be accomplished by asking a friend for a clean sample or by purchasing a clean sample online. (The clean urine is usually refrigerated, and the temperature is a clear sign that the sample is not valid.)