How to

Collecting your DNA sample is straightforward. Make sure to keep everything that came with your kit! And don’t forget to register your kit when you’re done.

Collect a DNA sample

Do not eat, drink, or smoke 30 minutes prior to collecting the sample.
Do not touch swab tips or allow contact with any other object.

Step 1

  • Place the vial standing up on a flat surface.

  • Peel open bags containing swabs and remove the swab.

  • Unscrew vial cap.

Prep

Step 2

  • Rub swab tip firmly against the inside of your cheek 15-20 times, using light pressure similar to brushing teeth.

  • Rotate swab tip as you are rubbing.

  • Cover entire cheek from top to bottom and side to side.

If you're having trouble producing saliva, try closing your mouth over the swab and tilt your head downward while lightly chewing.

Rub swab inside cheek

Step 3

  • Pick up the vial and hold steady in one hand.

  • Slowly twist swab into iSWAB vial with a corkscrew motion. There will be resistance, but push swab all the way to the bottom of the tube.

Twist swab into vial

Step 4

  • Hold the vial steady and move the swab up and down rapidly inside the tube 10-15 times without moving the swab out of the liquid.

  • Remove and discard the swab in the trash. Hold the vial firmly and remove the swab by slowly twisting it out with a corkscrew motion.

  • Replace cap tightly.

Move rapidly within the vial liquid

Prep for shipping

Step 5

  • Place the sealed vial into the biohazard bag and close.  

Place in provided bag

Step 6

  • Place the biohazard bag (with vial sealed inside) back into the box.

  • Place the “Exempt Human Specimen” sticker on any free space of the box. Do not cover up prepaid postage label or barcode intake label on box.

Place in original box

Step 7

  • Place the return label over the orignal shipping label on the box.

  • Remove the liner to expose the adhesive tape and seal box with DNA sample inside. Either adhesive can be used.

Finish prepping the box

Don’t forget to register your kit!

If you don’t register your kit, we won’t know who the DNA sample is for.

Once we receive the kit back at our lab, it usually takes a little over 2 weeks for the analysis to be completed. Please note that that timeline does not include the time it takes to ship your kit back to us.

You'll receive an email once it's done and be able to log into the portal to see your results.

What’s next?