The procedure for collecting your DNA samples at home is fairly simple with a DNA Testing Home Kit. The DNA Collection Kit that we will send you will contain all you need to do the sample collection.

Please note the following prior to taking the samples:

Do not drink coffee or tea, or use tobacco products for at least 1 hour prior to sampling. Samples containing coffee, tea or tobacco residues may not process properly!

Wash your hands and rinse the subject’s mouth if possible with warm water. For infants - allow them to drink water from a bottle or wait as long as possible from last feeding (recommended 1-2 hours).

Please follow these visual examples for collecting your DNA samples for every person to be tested.

What does the home testing kit contain?

Typically, the DNA home test kit contains the swabs which are coloured and packed into envelopes of the corresponding colour; you will also find submission or consent forms as well as instructions which are verysimilar to what you shall be reading here. (view image)

The coloured envelopes contain colour coded swabs; thus, the pink envelope will contain the pink swabs, the blue envelope the blue swabs and so forth.   (view image)

•  The submission forms are extremely important so you may want to begin by filling these in; you need to provide the name and surname, date of brith and some other information. DNA samples provided for testing have to be signed for. Make sure to write clearly so as to avoid any problems when homeDNAdirect recieve your DNA samples. We recommend writing in BLOCK LETTERS.  (view image)
•  Remove the swabs from the paper packaging. Be careful not to touch the cotton end of the swab with your fingers so that it remains sterile. There are two swabs provided per each person to be tested. (view image)
• Rub the cotton end of the swab along the inside of your cheek, under your tongue and behind your lips as well. Do this for 10 seconds per person. Remember you are collecting cheek cells and not just saliva, so also rub it right against the inside of the cheek. Do this with both of the colour coded swabs per person. (view image)
•  Before placing the swab back in the color coded envelope allow the swab a MINIMUM of 1 hour to dry. Place the swab in such a way as for the end of the swab not to touch anything else. When dry, place the swabs back in the color coded envelope. Do NOT touch the end of the swab at anytime, even to check if it is dry. (view image)
• Once you have completed the above, you may go on to place the coloured swabs back into their respective colour-coded envelopes; these envelopes also have some blank spaces on which to write the name, surname, date of birth and nature of the relationship (eg. alleged father, mother) and some other information- make sure to fill these spaces in as well. Place these all together along with the consent form into the pre-addressed envelope supplied, affix a stamp and return to homeDNAdirect for testing. (view image)

This sample collection guide very much sums up all of the necessary steps required to collect samples and use your home DNA test kit.

Repeat the above process for each person being tested.

Legal DNA Test Kit

For Legal DNA Testing a different kit will be provided. For information about the additional requirements where chain of custody procedures are required visit the Legal DNA Tests section.

If you have any further questions how to use the home DNA test kit, or to order a paternity test, contact our team at info@homednadirect.co.nz