Does A Homemade Pregnancy Test Really Work?

Feeling sick to your stomach of once-loved scents? Peeing a bit more than usual? Or maybe you’re glued to the couch with an unusual fatigue? 🛋️

It may be time to take a pregnancy test…

But before you nip to the local drugstore, is there anything you can do at home?

We’re here to de-bunk all the DIY pregnancy test myths and reveal the truth about home pregnancy tests. Are you ready?

In this article: 📝

What are DIY pregnancy tests?

A homemade pregnancy test is just what it says on the tin — using standard household items, mixing them with urine, et voilà — instant pregnancy result. ✨

Sounds easy, right? Well, probably not.

There is very little evidence to back up some of the most common DIY pregnancy test myths. So, more often than not, they can’t be trusted — as they have no scientific studies to back them up. 🤷‍♀️

Most homemade pregnancy tests involve looking for a chemical reaction between a household item (like toothpaste) and your pee. The theory is that certain reactions could indicate high levels of hCG — a positive pregnancy test result.

Sure, there might be some logic behind these DIY tests, but you will still need to follow up any result with a reliable pregnancy test, like a blood test, strip test, or digital test.

So, what are some of the homemade pregnancy tests out there? And can any of them be trusted?

How can I check my pregnancy naturally at home with a pregnancy test?

Toothpaste 🪥

One of the most common DIY pregnancy tests is the infamous toothpaste test. Simply squeeze a generous blob of toothpaste into a clear bowl, pour in your urine sample, and check for any fizzing or a change in color.

Fizzing or a color change = pregnant No fizz or change of color = Not pregnant

But is it accurate? No.

You might see some fizzing or a color change, but that’s not because there’s hCG in your pee. It could just mean your urine (which typically has an acidity of 6.0 to 7.5) has combined with toothpaste (which, dependent on brand, has varying levels of acidity), causing a reaction.

But it can’t detect pregnancy. 🤷‍♀️

So that’s the first myth de-bunked…

🔍 Want To Know More? Read up on: Toothpaste Pregnancy Tests

Basal body temperature 🌡️

Basal body temperature can be used to track your ovulation, and the theory is that it could also be used to test whether you’re pregnant or not.

Natural contraception companies, like Natural Cycles, test using a basal thermometer to tell whether you’re ovulating, so you know when it’s time to do the deed if you’re TTC. 😈

Natural Cycles say that if your basal body temperature is 97.6°F (36.4°C) to 98.6°F (37°C), and hasn’t dropped for 18 days or more, it may indicate you’re pregnant. Although this could be a sign of early pregnancy, it could also be caused by stress, colds or infections, drinking alcohol the night before… or many other reasons. 🤷‍♀️

And some have think that using basal body temperature for ovulation detection is unreliable…

But if you do see a rise in body temperature, the best thing to do is test with a home pregnancy test, to be sure.

Wheat and barley 🍞

Now this is an interesting one…

A 1963 study into diagnosing pregnancy found that combining wheat or barley seeds with pee and leaving them for two days could detect pregnancy.

If seeds sprout, you could be pregnant. 🌱

Although there was some validity to the theory, only 70% of cases when a woman was pregnant were picked up by the wheat and barley test (sigh). So, there goes our reliability factor…

Wine 🍷

So drinking while trying to conceive might be on your list of things to avoid, but could it also be another homemade pregnancy test?

Simply mix equal parts wine to urine in a clear container. A change of color tells you that you could be pregnant. But, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re pregnant. 🤷‍♀️

Whether you’re pregnant or not, the color could change — so you might have a false-positive from using this DIY test. Unfortunately, another unreliable method!

Shampoo 🧴

For this DIY pregnancy test, you’d need two bowls:

• One filled with a urine sample
• One filled with water and a few drops of shampoo, mixed until soapy

Next, combine the two bowls by adding the urine to the shampoo mix — if hCG is detected, it’ll froth. But is this accurate?

Well, on one hand, urine might cause shampoo to froth — but, as there are no studies into this, we can’t assume it has anything to do with your hCG levels. 🤷‍♀️

So, unfortunately not — and we have another de-bunked pregnancy test myth ticked off the list.

Salt 🧂

The salt pregnancy test involves mixing together salt with your urine in a clear, clean bowl. If you’re pregnant, in theory, the salt will react with your hCG, turning the mixture ‘milky’ or ‘cheesy’.

But alas, just like other DIY pregnancy tests, there’s no scientific studies done to suggest this works. 🤷‍♀️

Sugar 🧁

Mixing equal amounts of sugar and urine into a bowl is apparently another homemade pregnancy test. If it becomes clumpy, you’re pregnant… if it dissolves, not pregnant.

Is the sugar pregnancy test accurate?

Turns out, not very... There’s no evidence that hCG causes sugar to clump, so that’s another DIY pregnancy test in the trash.

Bleach 🧽

An easy one to get your hands on — everyone has bleach, right?

Mixing 1/2 cup urine to 1/2 cup bleach and waiting three to five minutes could result in a foamy or fizzy paste. According to popular myth, that could mean you’re pregnant.

But here comes science to ruin the fun… We can’t rule out that urine from non-pregnant women can cause the same reaction… or even from men!

So, this lack of scientific backing leads to the test being unreliable. Sorry! 🫣

🔍 Dig deeper: Do Bleach Pregnancy Tests Work?

Vinegar 🥗

One you’ll likely have in the cupboard, vinegar is supposedly used for detecting pregnancy. It’s thought that mixing 1 of cup white vinegar to 1/2 cup of urine can detect pregnancy.

If it bubbles and changes color, that could mean you’re pregnant.

What color would vinegar become if you were pregnant?

Rumours are, this would be an orangey-yellowish kinda color. But urine color depends entirely on how hydrated you are, and can vary a lot from person to person.

So, again, this means that vinegar could likely change color anyway, but not because of hCG.

Soap 🧼

Ever heard of the soap pregnancy test? Similar to the shampoo myth above, soap apparently becomes foamy when mixed with first morning urine if you’re pregnant.

Apparently, the hCG hormone in theory should make the soap bubble and fizz. 🤔

Does the soap pregnancy test work?

Again, there’s no scientific evidence around this, unfortunately! Another one bites the dust.

Pine-Sol 🌲

Now, maybe a more obscure household item (unless you like your home smelling like Christmas trees all year), but a pine-scented household cleaner could also be used as a make-shift pregnancy test, according to popular belief.

Mixing 1/2 cup urine with 1/2 cup pine-sol for three minutes could tell you you’re pregnant if it changes color. Yet, there are no scientific studies are here to back this up, either!

Baking soda 🧽

The myth is that if you add a couple of tablespoons to urine, the mixture may fizz up if you’re pregnant. But, here comes the de-bunk…

As urine is slightly acidic, and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) fizzes when it mixes with acid, it’s likely gonna fizz. So, there’s no hidden meaning behind this reaction!

Dandelion leaves 🍃

Apparently, collecting dandelion leaves into a clear container, pouring urine over them, and soaking them for 10 minutes can cause red spots to appear if you’re pregnant 🤔

Others suggest that if the leaves turn reddish-brown, or even bubble, that could also be a sign of a babe on the way. But, you guessed it — no scientific evidence!

What to do if you test ‘positive’ on a DIY pregnancy test

Well, that’s the thing — they’re so unreliable, so the first thing to do is check your results by doing a home pregnancy test. So, are they really worth doing in the first place?

Although you may be tempted to try and save some money while you’re TTC, finding out if you have a baby on the way is a life-defining moment.

One that deserves accuracy and reliability. Not a guessing game, and not false hope. That’s why it’s best to head out to your local drugstore and pick up a medically-approved pregnancy test.

Although they can also have varying results sometimes, this is the most reliable way of doing a pregnancy test at home. We know it can feel like there’s a mountain of information you feel you need to know while you’re trying to conceive — it can get overwhelming.

If you want to talk to other women in the same boat who get what you’re going through, you’re always welcome to join us on Peanut. We’re having the conversation. ❤️