Your stools contain bacteria and other substances found in your digestive system. A stool sample test can check levels of these to help uncover more about your digestive health, and diagnose or rule out various health conditions including: <ul> <li><a href="/health-library/conditions/gastroenteritis">gastroenteritis</a> – a common condition, usually due to a stomach bug, that causes diarrhea and vomiting</li> <li><a href="/health-library/conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease">inflammatory bowel disease</a> – such as <a href="/health-library/conditions/crohns-disease">Crohn's disease</a>, a long-term (chronic) condition that causes inflammation of the digestive system</li> <li><a href="/health-library/conditions/ulcerative-colitis">ulcerative colitis</a>, where the colon and rectum become inflamed</li> </ul>

Stool sample test – how to do one

Use a clean, dry container with a lid that seals properly – your doctor or healthcare professional would normally provide this. You should be given a plastic container, but you can use any container as long as it's clean and can be sealed. Then follow these steps: <ul> <li>First label the container with your name, date of birth, and the date</li> <li>Put something in the toilet so you can catch the stool. This can be an empty food container, a potty or you can place plastic wrap or clean newspaper over the toilet rim. </li> <li>Use the spoon or spatula provided with the container so you can put the sample inside (around the size of a walnut – this should fill the provided container by about one-third)</li> <li>Try not to collect any urine or water with the sample, and don’t touch the inside of the toilet bowl.</li> <li>Dispose of anything you used to collect the stool sample test – place it all in a plastic bag, tie it up and throw away</li> <li>Wash your hands with soap and water</li> <li>Remember to follow any further instructions your doctor or healthcare professional has given you</li> </ul> ::: body-ad-desktop zones:: 232632,232617,232640 types:: 163 disclaimer:: AD typeFilter:: native_ad adCount:: 1 ::: ::: body-ad-mobile zones:: 232632,232617,232642 types:: 5,163 disclaimer:: ADVERTISEMENT typeFilter:: display/native_ad adCount:: 1 :::

How to collect a stool sample

It's important to keep the sample fresh as bacteria in the sample can multiply over time. This could mean you won’t get an accurate test result, as the level of bacteria in the sample won’t match the level of bacteria in your digestive system. For this reason, your stool sample test should be handed in as soon as possible, but if you can't do this right away, you should store it in a fridge in a sealed plastic bag. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional who can advise you how long you are able to keep it in the fridge for – but this should not be more than 24 hours.

How many hours before a stool sample expires



Your stools contain bacteria and other substances found in your digestive system. A stool sample test can check levels of these to help uncover more about your digestive health, and diagnose or rule out various health conditions including:

- [gastroenteritis](/health-library/conditions/gastroenteritis) – a common condition, usually due to a stomach bug, that causes diarrhea and vomiting
- [inflammatory bowel disease](/health-library/conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease) – such as [Crohn's disease](/health-library/conditions/crohns-disease), a long-term (chronic) condition that causes inflammation of the digestive system
- [ulcerative colitis](/health-library/conditions/ulcerative-colitis), where the colon and rectum become inflamed 

## How to collect a stool sample

Use a clean, dry container with a lid that seals properly – your doctor or healthcare professional would normally provide this.

You should be given a plastic container, but you can use any container as long as it's clean and can be sealed. Then follow these steps:

- __First label the container__ with your name, date of birth, and the date
- __Put something in the toilet__ so you can catch the stool. This can be an empty food container, a potty or you can place plastic wrap or clean newspaper over the toilet rim. 
- __Use the spoon or spatula provided__ with the container so you can put the sample inside (around the size of a walnut – this should fill the provided container by about one-third)
- __Try not to collect any urine or water__ with the sample, and don’t touch the inside of the toilet bowl.
- __Dispose of anything you used to collect the stool sample test__ – place it all in a plastic bag, tie it up and throw away
- __Wash your hands__ with soap and water
- __Remember to follow__ any further instructions your doctor or healthcare professional has given you



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## How many hours before a stool sample expires

It's important to keep the sample fresh as bacteria in the sample can multiply over time.  This could mean you won’t get an accurate test result, as the level of bacteria in the sample won’t match the level of bacteria in your digestive system. 

For this reason, your stool sample test should be handed in as soon as possible, but if you can't do this right away, you should store it in a fridge in a sealed plastic bag.

Contact your doctor or healthcare professional who can advise you how long you are able to keep it in the fridge for – but this should not be more than 24 hours.


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Article information

What can be detected from a stool sample test and what's the best way to do one? Learn about stool samples here - using content verified by certified doctors.