Dipstick Test for Urine

The dipstick test is a simple and quick way to analyze a urine sample's chemical composition. The dipstick is a thin plastic stick with pads containing different chemicals. These chemicals react with substances in the urine, which causes the color of the pads to change. The final color of the pads can tell you the levels of different substances in the urine.

Procedure for the Dipstick Test

1. Check the expiration date on the packet of dipsticks. Expired dipsticks can give a false negative.
2. Take the dipstick from the packet and completely immerse the dipstick in the urine sample for 1 to 2 seconds.
3. When you remove the dipstick from the urine sample, run the dipstick against the edge of the container to prevent dripping.
4. Hold the dipstick horizontally and bring the edge in contact with an absorbent material, such as a piece of tissue.
5. Follow the manufacturer's instructions when orienting the dipstick with the packet.
6. Compare the pads on the dipstick to the packet.
7. The pads on the dipstick take different times to read, so use a stopwatch to ensure you read them at the right time.

After performing the test, you need to interpret the results.

Figure 1: The steps for the dipstick test.