Frequently Asked Questions

If the swab turns pink what does that mean?

Any pink color indicates the presence of lead. The HUD abatement level for lead in paint is 0.5% lead in paint or 1 milligram per Centimeter Square. The test is almost 100% accurate. The swab will test below the 0.5% level. In fact, 80% of the time the swab will indicate lead as low as 0.2%.

What if the swab turns dark pink or red?

Dark pink or red indicates a hazardous level of lead is present on the surface. Although the swab is not designed to be a quantitative test, the more intense the shades suggest high levels of lead. Any pink to red color change indicates the presents of lead and should be considered hazardous.

Can LeadCheck Swabs be used to test lead in water?

No. LeadCheck® Swabs are not sensitive enough to test for lead in water standard. Contact 800-262-5323 or leadcheck.com for information on LeadCheck® Aqua.

What is inside the swabs? Is it hazardous?

LeadCheck® Swabs contains a non-toxic led reactive dye (Rodizone 8) that is specific for lead. The dye reacts with lead and turns a distinctive pink or red color. There is nothing hazardous in this material.

It says on the card that it can be used for 1-2 tests, what does that mean?

There is enough chemical in the swab to do two tests. You can do this providing that the first test performed is negative (there is no color change to indicate lead), and the swab is used within the 2 minutes of the time that you activated it. If the first test is positive, then only one test can be performed using that swab.

How long are the swabs good for?

A swab that has not been activated will last forever. Once the swab is activated (the two glass viles are crushed) and the chemicals are mixed, they remain active for about 2 minutes.

What does the term Leachable Lead mean?

"Leachable Lead" is used to describe the ability of lead to come off of a finished surface such as in ceramic glaze. In the case of ceramics, lead can come off into food that is in contact of the glaze.

Can the LeadCheck® Swabs be used to test for lead in water?

No. They are not meant to detect lead in water. They are not sensitive enough to meet the lead in water standard. We recommend LeadCheck� Aqua from Hybrivet, which can be found at Lowe�s, Fred Meyer, and Target stores. Refer to leadcheck.com for more information.

What is the purpose of using lemon juice to test lead in soil?

Lead in soil is bound to minerals in the soil. The lemon juice is used to extract the lead from those minerals. The extract can then be tested using LeadCheck� Swabs. Hybrivet manufactures a Lead In Soil Kit (LeadCheck Soil) that uses a much stronger acid for the extraction step. Lemon Juice extraction will work fine on soils with high lead content (>1000ppm). LeadCheck� Soil will test down to the residential standard set by the EPA (>400ppm).

What if the swab turns a color other than pink or red?

See below for a better understanding of color change:

  • Pink or Red

    The swab has detected lead on surface. Contact local Health Department for further instructions

  • Yellow/ Orange

    Color of the LeadCheck® reagent. The swab has been activated correctly

  • DK Orange/ Brown

    Barium has been detected. As long as Pink has not been detected, it is negative for lead.

  • Purple/ Blue

    The swab has detected high concentrations of tin. Redo test; do not rub swab on surface, dab or tap only.

My Lead Check ampoule appears to be frozen, is it damaged?

No, freezing won�t damage it. If the liquid in the ampoule freezes, it should be warmed up again before use.