Painless · At Home · 3 Minutes

How to Collect a DNA Sample

Collecting a sample from the inside of your cheek is so simple that you can easily do it at home. No needles, blood draws or hospital visits — just a special brush included in our collection kit.

We will send the kit by post. Return the samples in a suitable A4 or A5 envelope.

Completely painless

Comfortably at home

Impossible to get wrong

Everything in the kit

Collection procedure — step by step

The entire collection takes less than 3 minutes. Each step is simple and precisely described in the enclosed instructions.

Preparation before collection

At least 30 minutes before collection, do not eat, drink, smoke, chew gum or brush your teeth. Proper preparation ensures a clean sample free of food or drink residue that could complicate the analysis.

Infants: wait at least 1 hour after feeding.

Preparation before DNA collection — no smoking, eating, or brushing teeth

Performing a buccal swab — circular motions on the inside of the cheek

Performing the swab

Remove the brush by the handle — do not touch the bristles. Place it against the inside of your cheek and move it in circular motions for 10–15 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Use each brush only once and for one person only.

Each person receives their own brushes — never mix them up.

Air drying

After collection, let the brushes dry for 20–30 minutes at room temperature. This step is important — a damp sample sealed in an envelope could be contaminated by mould and damage the DNA.

Never place brushes in a plastic bag — use only a paper envelope.

Air-drying collection brushes before placing them in an envelope

Packaging and shipping

Place the dry brushes in the labelled paper envelopes (one for each person). Choose a suitable A4 or A5 envelope, attach the included return address label and post it with sufficient postage. Send as soon as possible — ideally within a few days, no later than 2 weeks after collection.

Choose the return envelope according to sample size, attach the included return address label and post with your postal service.

How long can samples be stored?

Unused collection kit

Indefinitely

Collection brushes have no expiration date. You can keep the kit at home and use it anytime — even years later.

Collected sample before shipping

Up to 2 weeks

After collection, send the samples as soon as possible — ideally within a few days. DNA is stable, but heat and moisture gradually degrade it. Two weeks is a safe limit when stored properly in a dry, cool place.

Never store in a plastic bag or humid environment.

Non-standard samples

We always strongly recommend the standard collection

A buccal swab is the gold standard of DNA testing — reliable, affordable and fast. Non-standard samples are intended only for situations where standard collection is not possible for objective reasons. Processing takes longer, is significantly more expensive and success is not guaranteed.

Non-standard samples are available exclusively with the PROFI version.

Golden rule for all non-standard samples: store in a paper envelope, never in a plastic bag. Moisture destroys DNA.

Sample type	Recommendations for proper collection and storage	Surcharge
🍺 Used beverage can Dried residue of liquids and saliva from the bottom of the can	Dried residue of liquids and saliva from the bottom of the can	299 €
🦷 Bones or teeth Bones or teeth — most demanding sample type, requires special extraction	Bones or teeth — most demanding sample type, requires special extraction	649 €
👂 Used ear cleaning sticks Cotton swabs with earwax — store in a paper bag	Cotton swabs with earwax — store in a paper bag	299 €
🩲 Sperm traces on clothing Sperm traces on clothing or sheets — keep dry	Sperm traces on clothing or sheets — keep dry	299 €
🪄 Hair caught in depilatory wax or strip Must contain less than 20% formaldehyde	Must contain less than 20% formaldehyde	499 €
🩹 Used sanitary pads or tampons Send only in dry condition	Send only in dry condition	299 €
🩸 Blood stains on clothing, bandage or other material Blood stains on fabric, bandage or paper — keep dry	Blood stains on fabric, bandage or paper — keep dry	299 €
🧴 Pulled hair (with roots) Must contain hair roots, 3-10 pcs — pulled, not cut!	Must contain hair roots, 3-10 pcs — pulled, not cut!	299 €
🚬 Cigarette butts Cigarette butt with sufficient biological material	Cigarette butt with sufficient biological material	299 €
🪥 Used toothbrush Caution — washing reduces the chance of obtaining DNA	Caution — washing reduces the chance of obtaining DNA	299 €
🪒 Beard remnants and skin flakes from electric shaver Used razor — ideally electric with a beard container	Used razor — ideally electric with a beard container	299 €
🍬 Used chewing gum Used chewing gum — wrap in foil, do not dry	Used chewing gum — wrap in foil, do not dry	299 €
✉ Envelope or stamp with licked adhesive Sealed envelope with saliva	Sealed envelope with saliva	299 €

Complete non-standard sample price list (PDF)

Not sure? We'll advise you by phone.

Non-standard samples have their specifics and each case is different. Our experts will be happy to advise you — which sample to obtain, how to properly collect and store it, and what result you can realistically expect. We will call you back during business hours.

Ready to order a test?

We will send the collection kit within 24 hours.

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