The uncertainty of whether or not you’re pregnant can make you anxious, nervous, and even a little scared.
Whether you are prepared for a new baby in your life or not, the possibility of being pregnant is daunting and overwhelming.
The only way to relieve this anxiety is to dispel your doubts as soon as possible.
Chances are you’re looking for the safest, quickest, and most discreet way to find out if you’re pregnant.
Lucky for you, you might not need to purchase a pregnancy test at the drugstore or schedule an appointment with your doctor yet.
Standard pregnancy tests are a fairly recent invention.
Before pharmacies sold sticks for you to pee on, women from the past used different methods, including common household products you probably have in your kitchen and bathroom cabinets right now.
Just like standard pregnancy tests, homemade tests can help you find out if there’s a baby on the way quickly and privately.
Before trying any test, you need to start by observing the signs in your body.
Pregnancy Signs
Your body goes through noticeable changes soon after conception.
If you experience a mix of these symptoms, it may be time for a pregnancy test:
A missed period. Missing your period is the number one sign of pregnancy. Many women get late periods sometimes, but after a week or two, there’s a chance you might be pregnant.
Morning sickness. Nausea with or without vomiting on a regular basis is a clear sign of pregnancy.This is caused by the sudden change in your hormones. Morning sickness can begin as early as three weeks after conception, according to the Mayo Clinic, so it’s one of the first signs to look out for.
Tender or swollen breasts. The imbalance in your hormones can cause your breasts to feel fuller, sore, and tender.
Fatigue. The hormonal changes can also make you feel sleepy and tired more often.
Food cravings. You might feel intense urges to eat certain foods. If this happens regularly and it’s accompanied by any of the other symptoms mentioned above, it’s a good sign of pregnancy.
If you’re ready to try a pregnancy test at home, here’s what you need to know:
How Homemade Pregnancy Tests Work
Homemade tests may seem less reliable than standard tests, but the truth is they work in a similar way.
Pregnancy tests detect the presence of a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in women’s urine. Homemade tests do the same.
hCG is a hormone your cells produce when they begin to form the placenta, the sac that protects the fertilized egg once it attaches to the wall of the uterus.
This hormone can be traced in your urine, and it’s a sure sign that conception has occurred.
Homemade pregnancy tests look for the presence of hCG by observing the chemical reactions between your urine and different substances.
What To Expect From Homemade Pregnancy Tests
Even though they work in a similar way to standard tests, homemade tests may not be completely accurate because they are slightly trickier to interpret.
The main reason they’re more difficult to figure out is they don’t give you results in a specific amount of time.
Since the tests rely on chemical reactions between your urine and different substances, the timing of the results varies heavily from substance to substance.
The test results will also vary depending on the amount of urine you use. There are no standard proportions of urine for each test, so it’s difficult to calculate proper amounts.
In the methods I explain below, I’ll give you estimated quantities that should make your pregnancy tests more reliable.
Vague timing and proportions aside, they’re fairly good indicators of the hCG in your urine, so you can expect accurate results once you observe the chemical reactions.
Luckily, there are measures you can take ensure your homemade tests produce the best possible results.
How To Increase The Accuracy Of Homemade Pregnancy Tests
To make sure you get accurate results from your tests, always do the following:
- Use only a sample of your morning urine.The first urine after waking up will be more concentrated, which makes it easier for the tests to detect hCG. Store your sample in a plastic cup with a lid.
- Use the same amount (or more) of urine as the substance you’re using as a test. Too little urine could create confusing results.
- Wait for a minimum of 5-10 minutes before deciding the outcome of the test. The chemical reaction to confirm your pregnancy may take longer than you expect.
- Repeat the pregnancy test if necessary to make sure the reaction is the same.
- Don’t rely on just one pregnancy test. Try several tests and compare the results to confirm the outcome.
8 Homemade Pregnancy Tests
Bleach Pregnancy Test
Photo credit: Katokula
Bleach is a cleanser you can find in almost any household or online. The way it reacts with your urine is a good indicator of hCG
What you need:
- ½ cup of bleach
- ½ cup of morning urine sample
- A plastic cup
Positive sign:
- Foaming and fizzing.
Negative sign:
- No reaction.
Method:
- Cover your mouth and nose with a handkerchief or a mask. It’s dangerous to inhale the fumes from the bleach and the urine.
- Put on gloves.
- Go to an outdoors spot.
- Pour the bleach into the plastic cup.
- Pour the urine sample in the bleach.
- Wait for3-5 minutes.
If there’s no foaming or reaction of any kind in the bleach, the test is negative.
Sugar Pregnancy Test
White sugar is an inexpensive ingredient you can use to test the hCG in your urine.
What you need:
- 3 tablespoons of white granulated sugar
- Around 1/2 cup of morning urine sample
- A plastic cup
Positive sign:
- Clumps of sugar.
Negative sign:
- The sugar dissolves
Caution:
- Don’t use powdered sugar because it doesn’t have the ability to clump. It will dissolve whether you’re pregnant or not.
Method:
- Put the sugar in the plastic cup.
- Pour the urine over the sugar.
- Alternatively, you can pee in the cup.
- Wait for 5-10 minutes.
If the sugar begins to clump, it indicates the presence of hCG, which means you’re pregnant.
If the sugar just dissolves in the urine, you’re not pregnant.
Toothpaste Pregnancy Test
Toothpaste can be a good indicator of pregnancy when it comes in contact with your urine.
What you need:
- A dollop of plain white toothpaste
- Around 2 tablespoons of morning urine sample
- A plastic cup
Positive sign:
- Light blue toothpaste or foaming.
Negative sign:
- No reaction.
Caution:
- According to Check Pregnancy, the toothpaste might not turn blue even if you’re pregnant.This will depend on the brand of toothpaste you buy.
Method:
- Place a dollop of toothpaste in a cup.
- Pour your urine over the toothpaste.
- Alternatively, it’s safe to pee in the cup.
- Wait for 5-10 minutes.
If you’re pregnant, the toothpaste will turn light blue or start to foam and froth.
One of those reactions is enough to confirm your pregnancy. Foam without the blue color or the blue color without the foam counts as a positive result.
If you don’t observe any reaction on the toothpaste other than it slightly dissolving in the urine (without foaming), then chances are you’re not pregnant.
For best results, buy plain white toothpaste without any colors or crystals.
Repeat the process if necessary to check the reaction one more time.
Vinegar Pregnancy Test
Vinegar is one of the most common pregnancy tests. It indicates whether or not you’re pregnant by changing its color.
What you need:
- 1 cup of white distilled vinegar
- ½ to 1 cup of morning urine sample
- A plastic cup
Positive sign:
- A change of color.
Negative sign:
- No color change.
Method:
- Pour the vinegar into the plastic cup.
- Pour the urine in the vinegar.
- Wait for 3-5 minutes.
If the vinegar changes color after a few minutes, it’s likely you’re pregnant.
If the vinegar remains the same color, you are not pregnant.
If your house does not have any Vinegar, we found a great deal on some here.
Dandelion Pregnancy Test
The fresh leaves of dandelion will react to your urine if you’re pregnant.
What you need:
- 2-3 fresh dandelion leaves
- ½ cup of morning urine sample
- A wide plastic container
Positive sign:
- Red blisters on the leaves.
Negative sign:
- No signs of blisters.
Method:
- Put the leaves in the container.
- Soak the leaves with the urine sample.
- Wait for 10 minutes.
If reddish blisters appear on the surface of the leaves, you’re pregnant.
If the leaves don’t develop any blisters after 10 minutes, you might not be pregnant.
Hydrogen Peroxide And Tylenol Pregnancy Test
You can find hydrogen peroxide and Tylenol in your bathroom cabinet or purchase them from a drugstore. They can change your urine’s color if you’re pregnant.
What you need:
- 2 crushed white Tylenol pills
- 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide
- Around 3 tablespoons of morning urine sample
- A plastic cup
Positive sign:
- Your urine turns blue.
Negative sign:
- Your urine doesn’t change color.
Caution:
- Don’t use red Tylenol pills for this test. Your urine will turn brown. Stick to white pills for best results.
Method:
- Mix the crushed Tylenol pills with the hydrogen peroxide in the cup.
- Add your urine sample to the mix.
- Alternatively, you can drop the hydrogen peroxide and Tylenol mixture to the toilet and pee over it.
- Let it sit for 3-5 minutes.
The urine should turn blue after some minutes if you’re pregnant.
If the urine remains the same color, it means you’re not pregnant.
Pine Sol Pregnancy Test
Photo credit:The Clorox Company
Pine Sol is a staple cleaning product that will react with your urine if it has hCG.
What you need:
- ½ cup of Pine Sol
- ½ cup of morning urine sample
- A plastic cup
Positive sign:
- Your urine changes color.
Negative sign:
- No color change.
Method:
- Pour the Pine Sol in the plastic cup.
- Add your morning urine to the solution.
- Let it sit for 3-5 minutes.
If your urine changes color, it means you’re pregnant.
If you’re not pregnant, the mixture won’t change color.
Soap Pregnancy Test
The soap test is probably the easiest on this list. A piece of soap can help you determine whether there’s hCG in your urine simply by frothing or making bubbles.
What you need:
- 1 small piece of soap
- 2 tablespoons of morning urine sample
- A plastic cup
Positive sign:
- Frothing or foaming.
Negative sign:
- No reaction.
Method:
- Place the piece of soap in the cup.
- Add the urine to the cup.
- Wait for 2-5 minutes.
If the soap begins to froth or form bubbles when it comes in contact with your urine, it’s very likely you’re pregnant.
If you can’t see any bubbles or frothing in the soap, then you’re not pregnant.
Next Steps
If different pregnancy tests turn out negative after trying them several times, chances are you’re not pregnant. However, it’s important to contact your physician if you still suspect you might be pregnant. The sooner you confirm your results, the safer you will be.
If your homemade tests turn out positive, reach out to your physician as soon as possible to confirm your results and begin prenatal care treatment for you and your baby.
Conclusion
Homemade pregnancy tests can be convenient if you want a quick, discreet, and inexpensive way to find out if you’re going to have a baby.
Like standard tests, they detect the presence of the hormone hCG in your urine, which your cells produce only when your body is forming the placenta to protect the fertilized egg.
They’re trickier to read than standard pregnancy tests, but they’re reliable enough if you follow certain measures to increase their accuracy.
Use only morning urine for the tests, since it has the highest concentrations of hCG.
Certain household substances can help you make pregnancy tests at home. Bleach, vinegar, soap, dandelion leaves, toothpaste, white sugar, Pine Sol, and hydrogen peroxide and Tylenol are all good indicators of hCG.
These tests have been used for years by many generations of women, but they shouldn’t be your only tool.
Make sure to follow up with your physician to confirm your pregnancy and begin prenatal care for you and your baby.
It is safe to say that even though these methods have been proven effective, the best way to find out for sure is to confirm the pregnancy through over-the-counter pregnancy tests and consulting your physician right away.
If you’ve used one of these methods, comment below and let us know!
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