Disclosed is a method for the recovery of nucleic acids from a solid support, the method comprising the steps, in any suitable order, of: a) providing a solid support at least a region of which is absorbent and impregnated with a chaotropic agent; b) combining a biological sample, possibly including nucleic acids, with the region; c) washing the region in a washing buffer solution; d) simultaneously heating and agitating the region in a further buffer solution; e) separating the region from the further buffer solution; f) extracting at least a portion of any remaining further buffer solution from the region to provide an extracted buffer solution; g) combining the further buffer solution and the extracted buffer solution portion; and h) subsequently processing the combined buffer solutions in order to amplify any nucleic acids in said combined solution. Hardware suitable for implementing the above method and a kit of parts is disclosed also.