Wash your hands first
Check at the vaginal opening or on toilet paper after wiping
Use clean fingers to collect a small amount from inside the vagina
Look at the mucus color
Look at the texture
Stretch it gently between your fingers
Note whether it feels dry, sticky, creamy, wet, or slippery
Check it at the same time each day
Record the changes throughout your cycle
Avoid checking right after sex, using lubricant, or douching
Repeat daily for the most accurate pattern