how to clean your system for a drug test

Taking a drug test can be a scary thought, even if you don't do drugs. Numerous pieces of advice on the web may cater to audiences with varying needs. But they might create confusion, too. The whole thing can be a messy quagmire of myths, quick fixes, and even worse, some very bad advice.

So, what do you do when a drug test is around the corner? If you often consume substances that could get you into trouble on a drug test but want to get clean for your job interview, you may want to find proper guidance.

Detoxification is one of the primary methods to prepare your body for a hassle-free drug test. But first, you must understand how most drug tests work in order to successfully detoxify your body and prepare it in the best way possible.

Note: This article isn't meant for cocaine or heroin addicts trying to pass a drug test. In this article, we specifically talk about weed-lovers – occasional or habitual – and how they can beat the test without raising any alarm.

Best THC Detox Methods To Get Marijuana Out [Reviews]

#1. Detox Drinks: Best for Urine Drug Test

#2. Detox Pills: Best Weed Detox Kit

#1. Detox Drinks: Best Detox Drinks For Flushing Out Weed

Detox drinks are touted for their ability to flush THC out of the body on the very day of consumption, albeit temporarily. Most detox drinks are effective only for a few hours. Nonetheless, these detox drinks can help amplify your body's natural detox process.

Detox drinks are cleansing supplements that may taste like energy drinks. Consumers may have to drink the entire bottle exactly 60–90 minutes before the drug screening to come out undetected, though some detox drinks are required to be taken for a longer period of time days before the test. Effective detox drinks may lead to frequent urination, thus quickly cleansing your system.

Mega Clean Detox Drink

One of the most effective products in this category is the Mega Clean Detox Drink by Detoxify.

Detox drinks are the quickest way to flush your system of all evidence of drug use, for example, right after you've been notified of an impending drug test. The Mega Clean Detox Drink is claimed to have saved a lot of people's jobs.

However, it's important to note that you should be tested within three hours of consuming this drink. If that period expires, you will need to take another shot.

Several reviewers who had used weed for over 4–5 months came out clean after using this detox drink. These drinks also render a feeling of being energized and refreshed after consumption.

To find the best detox drinks, we put the best ones to test.

One of our team members had been a frequent recreational weed smoker. With her help and THC pee test kits, we tested three detox drinks.

She took a test before consuming the drink to make sure that she was positive for THC.

Rescue Detox Ice Instant Cleansing Energy

She first tried the Rescue Detox Blueberry Ice Drinks from Applied Sciences. For this test, you are supposed to stop eating 5 hours before the test. She took a four-hour nap after smoking weed and then ate some mac and cheese.

The drink was a bright neon yellow-colored liquid that tasted of artificial flavors. Our team member drank it an hour before the test, then refilled the bottle with water twice and drank that over 30 minutes. She urinated thrice. [Interestingly, she noted her pee had the color of highlighter ink.]

She then went in for the test and passed with flying colors. However, the color of the urine was alarming but was likely due to artificial coloring in the drink.

Detoxify XXtra Clean Herbal Cleanse

The Detoxify XXtra Clean Herbal Cleanse was the second drink Lucy tried. She drank this tropical-flavored juice and then refilled it with water. Following the instructions, she then went ahead to take the test.

Although she was smoking weed during her detox, she was able to pass the test undetected. However, she complained of a stomach ache that lasted an entire day.

Stinger Buzz 5X Extra Strength Cleanser

Our teammate said the Stinger Detox Drink tasted like thick grape soda. After gulping it down, she refilled the bottle with water twice and urinated three to four times before heading for the test. The test results were negative.

However, the best detox drink seemed to be Mega Clean Detox Drink by Detoxify.

Bear in mind that these tests are not scientific and might produce different results for people with different weed habits. These drinks not only dilute your urine to completely remove traces of THC but could also compensate for the washed-out vitamins and minerals to prevent any doubts. Note that these are not foolproof ways to get through a drug test.

#2. Detox Pills: Best Weed Detox Kit

The Toxin Rid 5-day Detox program is just the right option for people who have a drug test right around the corner and are frequent weed users.

This detox program works for all kinds of toxins, including THC. The product includes Toxin Rid Pre-rid tablets, a dietary fiber, and a detox liquid. If you choose to, you could also add a Free Home Test and a Flush Drink for test day.

Toxin Rid uses only herbs, vitamins, and minerals to help with your drug detox. In less than an hour, it will cleanse all traces of THC from your blood, urine, and saliva.

The 5-day detoxification system (the brand also has longer detox programs) is true to its word and helps you rid your body of toxins within 5 days.

Product Highlights

Pre-rid tablets, dietary fiber, and liquid detox comprise the three-part, 5-day detoxification system.
This detoxification program targets all heavy cannabis users.
It is natural and contains herbs and vitamins to naturally cleanse your system.
No artificial additives or fillers are used in this detox pack.

Contents

75 pre-rid tablets
1 ounce of dietary fiber
1 fluid ounce of detox liquid

Directions for use

Step 1: Tablets

You must take three tablets every hour for 5 hours for 5 days. Do not take more than 15 tablets a day. You should increase your water intake to half a gallon daily and switch to healthy eating, including green vegetables and lean meat, during this process.

Step 2: Detox Liquid

Just two hours after consuming the last pill, start the detox liquid. You cannot consume food within those two hours, and you have to drink half of the detox liquid with water. You must repeat the process for the remaining half, and only then will the process be completed.

Step 3: Dietary Fiber

This is an optional step that comes to the rescue just in case you have a test scheduled four days from your detox plan. If a detox drink is near at hand, this step isn't required at all. Mix the dietary fiber in 8 ounces of distilled water and gulp it down in 2 minutes. After another 15 minutes, drink 16 ounces of water. Keep in mind that you might need to pee a few times.

Tips
What you consume, how, and for how long determines the type of detox plan that will suit your body. Depending on your height and weight, the efficacy of the detox plan will vary. In slender individuals, the detox plan works out in the normal time. In heavier individuals, the detox plan may require more time to flush out the toxins stored in the fat cells.

The strength of your metabolism can speed up the detox process. In aged individuals with a slower metabolism, detox may take a longer time.

#3. Home Remedies For Passing A Drug Test

Lemon Juice & Water
Lemon has been our age-old quick fix for various issues that we encounter on an everyday basis. Lemon juice is an acidic drink that can aid in naturally cleansing your body of toxins.

For best results, cut a lemon in half and squeeze it into a cup of water. This concoction of citric acid and water will quickly let your body get rid of the toxins.

You can repeat this method as many time

s as you would like. This diluted lemon juice can be consumed multiple times on the days leading up to the test and will ensure that no residual toxins are retained by your system.

Cranberry Juice
Your body can readily get rid of toxins with the help of cranberry juice. Of all the juices that help your body with a THC detox, cranberry juice is arguably the best.

Like the other naturally procured juices that help you face a drug test with confidence, cranberry juice can quickly cleanse your body of objectionable substances. It will not camouflage or hide the presence of THC in your system, but rather it will simply flush out the toxins as rapidly and effectively as possible.

The goal is to urinate frequently so that you cleanse your body of toxins. For this, you can consume cranberry juice with several glasses of water. Cranberry juice can also be gulped down with electrolytes, like a sports drink, to ensure maximum urination. This will ensure that no toxin is left behind.

Regular consumers prefer to push the envelope a little more by adding Vitamin-B supplements to their routine. This ensures that the color of urine is more natural and thus prevents any doubts about the watered-down urine.

Coffee
Coffee could also help your system detoxify seamlessly and naturally as it is a potent diuretic. However, you need to drink as much as you possibly can to remove as much toxin from your body as possible.

But make sure to stay hydrated. Coffee can dehydrate your body pretty quickly, so it's important to increase your water intake during this time. You can also add some energy drinks to this regimen, as it may aid in the hydration process as well as fulfill your body's mineral requirement. Also, on days prior to the test, stay taking B-vitamin supplements. This should ensure that your urine does not lose its natural color due to the extensive detoxification.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can help with the detox process too. You can mix it with a drink of your choice and use it a couple times a day to allow your body to detox. However, while you're taking apple cider, no alcohol should be consumed. Limit your cider consumption to just two teaspoons a day. The best time to consume it is right before a meal.

Note: All of these are great if you have ample time to undergo such elaborate and time-consuming detoxification. It is best to add a detox drink or a 5-7-day detox program to the mix to ensure your detoxification works and that you come out of the test with flying colors.

#4. Hair Shampoos for a Hair Follicle Test

Hair follicle tests usually require testing of the first inch and a half of your hair to detect traces of drugs. Fortunately, hair shampoos exist that, when used before going for a drug test, can help regular weed smokers stay in the clear.

The Old Style Aloe Toxin Rid Shampoo is a mild cleansing shampoo that is available in a 5-ounce bottle. This shampoo combined with Ultra Clean can produce great results.

The Old Style Aloe Toxin shampoo needs to be used every day, at least 15 times, right up to the test. In cases of short notice, you would need to take multiple showers and let the shampoo stay for at least 15 minutes. However, it is most effective if you have about a week in hand.

Usage Tips
While rinsing your hair, direct your fingers mostly towards the scalp. This mild cleansing shampoo will help wash off environmental impurities, chemicals, hard water minerals, and hair dulling impurities with the help of its advanced microsphere technology. When used along with the Ultra Clean shampoo, especially on the day of the test, you will notice the best results.

Instructions

Moisten your hair.
Apply a dime-sized amount.
Lather into the scalp and leave it on for 10–15 minutes.
Rinse with lukewarm water.

#5. Mouthwash for a Swab Test

This is yet another quick-action option for people who are caught off guard on the day of a drug test.

You can easily get through an oral drug test with the help of a good mouthwash. One such product is the Toxin Rid Detox Mouthwash, which can help cleanse your mouth cavity of all traces of THC without harming the inner layers of your mouth. Its special formulation helps wipe off all traces of possible drug use right before a drug test occurs. Keep in mind, this method is only to be used 15 minutes before a drug test, otherwise, it may not work.

Pro Tip: Take some breath mints before you enter the lab.

Instructions for use

Pour one-third of the mouthwash into your mouth.
Swish it around in your mouth for about three minutes, and then spit it out.
Repeat this process thrice. This will ensure that your mouth is free of all possible toxins that a drug test could detect.

What You Should Do If You Don't Have The Time For A Proper THC Detoxification

#1. Drug testing at home might help

Whether you smoke cannabis regularly or are new to it, this Marijuana Drug Test Kit by ITG Labs could help you find out if you will test positive on an upcoming drug test.

Cannabis compounds like THC can remain in your body longer than you can think. This THC detox kit could help you check to see if your body has retained any residual metabolites of weed long after you have smoked or consumed it.

Like most other kits, this, too, looks for traces of THC in your urine samples. The brand promises a 99% accuracy of the test results, which means it could help you discover the presence (or absence) of weed metabolites in your body in the very comfort of your home.

Instructions for using the ITG Labs Marijuana Drug Test Kit

Using this drug test kit simply requires following a few steps and some of your time.

#1. Unpack the test kit and locate the single-use test strip found inside.

Note: The package needs to be unsealed at room temperature and used immediately. In other words, open it only when you have the urge to urinate so that you can use it.

#2. Find the cap on the test end of the kit, remove it, and note the arrow at the end.

#3. Dip the test panel in the urine sample for 10–15 minutes as indicated by the arrow. Do not let the urine sample go above the arrow.

#4. Remove the test strip and leave it for 10 minutes on a non-absorbent surface, such as a paper plate or plastic dish.

#5. Once the time is up, check the strip and compare it with the result panel for the results.

How to determine the results of the test

Two lines: This represents a negative test result. In this case, one colored line is on the control region, and another colored or faded line is over the test region. This indicates that you don't need to worry about the cannabis level in your urine because it is below the detectable level.

One line: This represents a positive test result. There will be one line over the control region and no lines over the test region. The THC levels in your body in this case are high enough to be detected and you are likely to fail the test.

No line: This implies a faulty procedure. You might have made an error in the procedure and need to redo the test with a new kit.

Note: Once opened and used, these kits cannot be reused. Kits that are left exposed for just 3 – 4 minutes are useless and might be the reason no lines appeared.

Types of Drug Tests

In the human body, cannabinoids break down into numerous specific metabolites that are then flushed out through urine, stool, saliva, phlegm, fallen hair, and sweat. As you might notice, there are multiple ways to detect the presence of these metabolites in the body.

This means your preparedness has to differ depending on the method of detection, aka drug tests.

Some tests are quick, while some are more accurate, and some are good at detecting recent substance consumption, while others detect it over a longer duration.

Listed below are the four types of drug tests:

Urine Test

This is the most common method of testing consumers for drugs. It can detect the presence of drugs in the human body for about a week or so for a new user and up to 30–45 days for habitual consumers. It is easy on the wallet but takes a longer time to be conducted.

Blood Test

Blood tests are not randomly conducted. These apply only to specialized or sanctioned drug tests. In cases where a urine test doesn't produce satisfactory results, blood tests come to the rescue. A blood test is a long and meticulous test and requires more sophisticated equipment. It can detect weed in your system for up to 45–60 days if you are a regular weed user.

Saliva Test

The testing of saliva to detect the presence of drugs is the least commonly used method. A saliva test is performed rapidly and is a part of the federal government or roadside law enforcement drug test. It screens the swab of a person's mouth to detect the presence of drugs in it. It serves as an easy alternative to urine tests. Saliva retains THC traces for about 1–7 days in some cases.

Hair Test

A person getting drug tested with the hair follicle method faces a real challenge. It is the fastest-growing and most technologically advanced method of detecting drugs. The hair follicle test is gaining rapid popularity among the government and other organizations because of its ability to detect drugs consumed about 90–120 days ago.

How Long Does THC Remain In The Body?

There are several individual factors that determine how long THC (more specifically Delta-9) remains in your body. These factors may include:

Body mass
Metabolic rate
THC levels in the body
Concentration of THC consumed
Specific chemical balance

Age, gender, and frequency of exposure also determine the duration for which THC may linger in your body.

Due to the THC's lipid-solubility, it tends to get deposited in the fat cells of your body. It is relatively easier (and faster) for a person with lower body fat to flush out the toxins. Frequent consumption coupled with high body fat can prolong THC retention (and therefore the cleansing procedure) in an individual's body.

Marijuana Drug Tests And The Way They Work

When you consume weed, your body retains the metabolite residues long after you've used it. These residues are safely stored in your fat cells and are detectable in samples of your urine, blood, hair follicles, and saliva. This is why drug tests are designed to test such samples.

Urine Test

For you to fail this test, your urine sample needs to contain 50ng/ml or more THC.

The easiest way to prepare your body for a urine test is by flushing out the toxins. The urine test is conducted in two steps. The first one is an immunoassay test, which may show false positives, too. [This is why you may test positive even if you consume full-spectrum CBD or Delta-8 THC products.] This is why, sometimes, the authorities may consider conducting another test known as a gas chromatography test, which is used to detect traces of THC in your system.

Hair Test

Hair follicle tests employ two steps. The immunoassay (ELISA) test is followed by the GC-MS test. The first inch and half of a strand of hair are screened for the test. This test works slower than the urine test and might also end up showing false positives.

Blood test

A blood test for weed can be highly effective, as long the authorities have the right equipment for it. Your blood starts storing traces of THC right after smoking weed.

Saliva Test

This test produces accurate and quick results but is rarely used by companies looking to hire you as it would throw up positive results only if you've just recently consumed weed.

FAQs About THC Detox

Q: What is the best way to detox before a drug test?
A: There is no single foolproof trick that will ensure the best results every time. You need to develop a mixed approach to the various detox methods available and find the best fit for you.

Physical exercise is a must. Drinking gallons of water, hitting the gym, and burning those extra calories should help flush out the toxins and leave you more cleansed than before. However, it is safest to combine that with some kind of detoxification product to be doubly sure and safe.

Q: What is the best OTC detox before a drug test?
A: TestClear's Toxin Rid detox kit is an effective OTC detox for a drug test. However, you need a prior warning of the impending drug test. This one is a 10-day detox program and cannot be a quick solution to passing a drug test. It is heavy on the pocket but is an ideal solution for those willing to invest.

Q: Does the "best detox drink for weed" exist?
A: There is no foolproof way to erase all tension regarding a drug test. However, the best you can do is use a detox drink to flush the traces of THC out of your body.

It is advisable to stop consuming weed well in advance when a drug test is just around the corner. Hydration is key, so try incorporating electrolytes into your diet. On the day of the test, follow the instructions on the detox drinks listed above and prepare your system to face the screening.

Q: How fast do detox pills work?
A: Within 1–2 hours of consuming the pills, they start cleaning your system. This effect lasts for 6 hours and is sure to prove the absence of THC in your system. However, for the best results, start on these pills at least a day before the test.

Q: How does the body store THC?
A: THC is lipid-soluble. The fat cells in our body store the THC metabolites before they're broken down and completely metabolized – in other words, before they are flushed out of the body.

Q: How does THC leave the body?
A: Like all cannabinoids, THC is metabolized by the body, only to be released into the bloodstream. It then moves through the body, interacting with your body's internal chemicals (thereby exhibiting its effects), and is gradually removed from the body through sweat, urine, excreta, fallen hair follicles, spittle, etc.

Here is a general idea of how much is flushed out through each pathway:

About 60% leaves the body through excreta
About 30% is flushed out through urine
About 20% is flushed out through sweat
Note: These percentages aren't the same for everyone. They are only generalized percentages, hence why it does not add up to 100%.

Q: How long does THC stay in your system?
A: The length of time that THC stays in your body depends on the following factors:

Concentration of THC consumed
Frequency of consumption
Metabolism and exercise levels
Lifestyle and food habits
Age and gender
Overall body weight and body fat
Chemical balance of an individual's body

These are only some of the factors that influence your body's THC retention, but there is no "one-size-fits-all" rule with THC retention. Therefore, it is best to steer clear of marijuana use if your job requires you to take regular drug tests or if you're going to apply for a job. Remember, it is always safest to behave responsibly and stay healthy.

The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post's preparation.