• Use a fresh, well-mixed uncentrifuged urine.
• Hold the reagent strip by the opposite end from the test areas and dip the stick into the specimen so that all test areas are immersed in the specimen. Remove the stick immediately. Prolonged immersion in the sample may wash out the test reagents.
• Hold strip in a horizontal position and run the edge of the strip against the rim of the urine container or touch the long edge of the strip to absorbent toweling to remove excess urine (do not blot the strip). Maintain the strip in a horizontal position to prevent mixing of reagent chemicals.
• Observe the reagent pads at the specified time periods. Color changes that occur after the stated maximum read time are not valid.
• Hold the strip close to the chart and compare the colors to read the results. A good light source facilitates accurate reading.

Quality control procedures should be performed with each new lot of reagent strips and as often as required by the laboratory's procedure