Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Gathering supplies
• Part 2 of 2: Finding fingerprints

Ever wondered how detectives find people's fingerprints at a crime scene? It's actually not as difficult as you may think. With the help of some simple supplies and techniques, you can have fun looking for fingerprints in your own home. This is for fun only - do not go to a real crime scene to try to do this as it is a criminal offense. If you witness a crime, call the police immediately. To practice looking for fingerprints in your own home, just follow the easy steps below.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Gathering supplies

1. Find some powder. Fingerprint powder is a very fine powder that is white or black in color. White powder is used to find fingerprints on dark surfaces and dark powder is used to find fingerprints on light colored surfaces. Fingerprint experts use talcum powder for white and graphite-based powder for black. They also sometimes use special fluorescent powders that glow under a blacklight lamp when the prints are particularly difficult to find or on a surface with multiple colors and textures.
   • You can use baby powder, cornstarch or cocoa powder at home.
2. Grab a small brush. It is best to use a brush with very fine and very soft bristles. A make-up brush or very small brush is very suitable. Just make sure the bristles are soft and not stiff as they have been rinsed in water and used multiple times.
3. Find transparent tape. You can use plain scotch tape or other clear tape for the packing tape. Do not use duct tape or other colored tape. The adhesive tape is intended to record the fingerprint after you have applied powder to it.
4. Get some paper. If you are going to use white powder, get black craft paper so that the fingerprint contrasts with the paper and is easy to see when you put the tape on it. If you are using dark colored powder like cocoa powder or black fingerprint powder, you can use plain white paper.
5. Use a smooth, flat surface. If you have slides, they are perfect for applying a fingerprint. If you don't have them, you could very well use a smooth table, chair, household appliance, wall, floor, door handle or faucet.

Part 2 of 2: Finding fingerprints

1. Push your finger (or fingers) hard on the smooth surface. If you want to make your fingerprint even more visible after applying powder to it, smear a little lotion on your hands before pressing your fingers on the surface.
   • Practice looking for your own fingerprints first. Then you can try to find fingerprints that have been accidentally left in the house by others.
2. Sprinkle a small amount of powder on the fingerprint. Grab a pinch of powder with your thumb and forefinger and sprinkle it all over the fingerprint. Try to sprinkle powder on the entire area where you think the print will be. You can also blow around the powder to cover the fingerprint completely.
3. Gently brush off the excess powder with the fingerprint brush. Be very careful to keep the fingerprint intact. It is best to gently lower the brush while making circular dabbing movements instead of just wiping. By swiping you can erase the fingerprint. If your fingerprint is smeared, then you have brushed it too roughly or the brush is not soft enough. You may need to practice a little to master this. When you are done you should be able to see the fingerprint clearly in the layer of powder.
4. Stick a piece of transparent tape on the powdered fingerprint. Use a piece that is large enough to leave room in the corner so that you can keep holding the tape. This will make it easier to pull up the tape. Then pull up the tape very carefully. When you pull up the tape, the powdered fingerprint should stick to it.
5. Stick the piece of masking tape onto the contrasting sheet of paper. Remember to use a black sheet of paper if you used white powder to capture the fingerprint with the tape. Use a white sheet of paper if you used dark colored or black powder.
6. Look for other people's fingerprints. When you have practiced looking for your own fingerprints, you are ready to start looking around the house for fingerprints that have been accidentally left behind. Some prints may be your own, but you may also find prints from others.
   • Good places to look are door handles, the sides of doors, faucets, and tables.