Ideally, the specimen for routine urinalysis should be examined while fresh (less than 1 hour; 2 hours maximum). If this is not possible, it should be refrigerated immediately and/or have an appropriate chemical preservative added until examined. Specimens stored at room temperature will soon begin to decompose, mainly due to the presence of bacteria in the sample. Refrigerated samples should be used within 24 hours of collection.
Urinalysis strip (dipstick) is a narrow plastic strip which has several square-shaped pads of different colors attached to it. Each small pad represents a component of the test used to interpret urinalysis. When dipped in the urine, pad colors change in response to the chemical characteristics of the urine. The color changes are noted at specific time intervals and compared against the reference color chart/key.