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Sample collection instructions
Everything you need to collect a clean, valid sample and fill out your label correctly. For the exact steps for your specific kit, open its training page from your dashboard.
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Freeze your ice pack first. Put it in the freezer until solid — at least 6 hours ahead (overnight is best). Your sample has to stay cold all the way to the lab.
Step by step
How to collect your sample
1
Freeze your ice pack first
Put the gel/ice pack in the freezer until solid — at least 6 hours ahead (overnight is best). Your sample has to stay cold all the way to the lab.
2
Lay everything out
Open your kit and check the contents against the “What’s inside” list. If anything is missing or damaged, stop and contact support before you collect.
3
Put on the nitrile gloves
Powder-free gloves keep skin oils and contaminants off the bottle and the sample. Put them on before you handle the bottle.
4
Pick a cold, unfiltered tap
Use a cold kitchen or bathroom tap. Remove any aerator, filter, or softener attachment first — and don’t sample from an outdoor spigot or garden hose.
5
Flush the line for 2–3 minutes
Run the cold water for 2–3 minutes to clear water that’s been sitting in the pipes, then turn it down to a gentle, pencil-thin stream.
6
Do NOT rinse the bottle
The HDPE bottle is pre-cleaned and acid-preserved to hold metals in solution. Do not rinse it or pour anything out — fill it exactly as it comes.
7
Fill to the shoulder, then cap
Fill to within 1–2 inches of the top without letting the faucet touch the bottle, then cap it tightly.
8
Chill it right away
Set the capped bottle against the frozen pack inside the thermal wrap so it starts cooling immediately.
9
Fill out and seal the label
Complete the sample label (see the walkthrough below), then apply the label integrity seal across the cap so the lab can confirm it arrived sealed.
10
Register & ship the same day
Scan the QR code on your card to finish your chain of custody, then drop the prepaid mailer with the carrier the same day you collect.
Chain of custody
How to fill out your sample label
Fill in every line in ballpoint pen. Here’s a completed example — the blue text shows what goes on each line.
SAMPLE LABEL
SACRED SAMPLING SOLUTIONS
Date:09 / 24 / 2026Time:8:15 AM
Sample ID:SS-BAS-91001
Matrix:Drinking Water
Analysis:Heavy Metals
Signature:Kelly M.
Date09 / 24 / 2026
The date you actually collected the sample — not the day it shipped.
Time8:15 AM
The time you filled the bottle. This lets the lab confirm the sample was analyzed within its hold time.
Sample IDSS-BAS-91001
The code from your kit / registration. If it’s already printed on the label, just confirm it matches your registration.
MatrixDrinking Water
What you sampled — e.g. Drinking Water, Well Water, or Air.
AnalysisHeavy Metals
The test your kit runs (e.g. Heavy Metals, PFAS, Comprehensive). It usually matches your kit’s name.
SignatureKelly M.
Sign to certify you collected the sample following these instructions. This is part of your chain of custody.
Then seal it. Once the label is filled in, apply the label integrity seal across the cap. The lab checks that the seal is intact — it’s what keeps your chain of custody defensible.
Last step
Register & ship
Scan the QR code on your instruction card to complete your chain of custody, then drop the prepaid mailer the same day you collect so the sample stays cold and within its hold time.