According to the kit's instructions, one only needs to apply the test to suspected stains on his or her partner's undergarments to find traces of semen. A purple color appearing on the Lift Trace paper (after a chemical liquid has been applied to the garment and soaked onto the paper) means that the partner has had sex within the last few days. The test only takes five minutes and works equally well on both genders. Although underwear is the most obvious thing to test, Checkmate can also work on other clothing, bedding, towels, or car upholstery.

Evergreen is selling Checkmate as a single-use kit for $29.95 (US) or as a deluxe multiple-use kit for $49.95. However, the original British version sold thousands of items for the equivalent of $86 each.

Since Commercial and General, Checkmate's European distributor, launched the product in Britain, it has received tons of e-mails from consumers with reactions ranging from relieved and grateful to shocked and outraged. The company has conducted a survey of the kit's buyers and found that 40% of them were over 40 years old, more than half were female, and nearly half had been married for at least 15 years.

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