Toilet seat stains are common and can be caused by product build-up, urine, fake tan, dead skin, mineral deposits and certain cleaning products.
Hard water
As the toilet flushes, the water can splash upwards onto the underside of the seat, and as the water evaporates, it can leave behind mineral deposits (limescale). As it builds up, limescale can develop a yellow tinge that can end up damaging the surface of the plastic and causing staining.
But when you get orange, pink or brown staining, as you often do in toilets, it's because the calcium carbonate is mixed with iron or manganese compounds. Sometimes you see these beige or orangey stains around taps too, but usually it's the toilet.
Although lighter in weight than enameled wood toilet seats, plastic toilet seats are durable, strong and long-lasting. They also give you the benefit of finish that resists wear, chips and stains.
To clean your toilet seat, we recommend using mild hand soap and water. Anti-bacterial hand soap, dish soap, or anti-bacterial wipes are also acceptable – using any of these will preserve your toilet seat's glossy finish. If you use wipes, please make sure to thoroughly dry the ring and cover with a paper towel.
Measure a quarter cup of baking soda, add roughly 50ml of warm water and proceed to mix until it is a paste. Then, with a wet towel, wipe the seat and apply the paste to the stained surfaces.
Toilet seats are often prone to stains caused by hard water lines and lime stains. If you keep them unattended for a long period of time, the stains keep getting nastier and more difficult to deal with. This is why it is important to get rid of the stains from your toilet seat as soon as you encounter them.
“I'm going to get some hate for this, but you're not meant to use bleach to clean your toilet! “All new toilet pans have an antibacterial coating on them, the bleach ruins it. “As for the seat, the material has now been compromised and once the air hits it after cleaning with bleach, it reacts and turns yellow.
Green or brown stains are a sign of lime buildup. It happens because of the evaporation of hard water that leaves behind mineral deposits. These minerals dry out and catch other dirt and bacteria around the buildup, creating layers of green and brown stains.
Minerals in the water supply and even the chemicals used to clean can lead to toilet bowl rings and the staining and discoloration on other faucets, fixtures and surfaces.
Assuming Britons scrub their toilet regularly, it's unlikely the yellow stains they're seeing is from urine. More commonly they form as a result of limescale, strong chemicals such as undiluted bleach or sunlight.
Although chlorine bleach is known for its whitening properties, it contains chemicals that may produce pale yellow stains on objects. Plastic surfaces, such as serving bowls and acrylic bathtubs, are susceptible to yellow streaks when exposed to chlorine bleach for extended periods.
Whether they're from foods, sunlight, or chemical reactions, yellow stains often show up on plastic. There are many ways you can try to tackle these stains, such as soaking the plastic in bleach, rubbing alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide.
Avoid using aerosol products. Do not allow abrasive chemicals and cosmetics (such as fingernail polish and aftershave) to come in contact with the toilet seat, as they can damage the finish. Painted wood seats require special care and cleaning. Use only mild detergent (such as dish washing soap).
In this case, a basic toilet cleaning product may not be enough, and you will need to use undiluted bleach. As a one-stop cleaning solution, pour one cup of bleach around the bowl. Then tackle every inch with a toilet brush or a handheld scrub brush. Let it sit for five minutes, then flush.
Pour a dab of hydrogen peroxide on a clean cloth and rub any spots that didn't come off with soda or white vinegar. Don't leave it on long and rinse well with clear water, particularly if your loo seat is vinyl. Note: Hydrogen peroxide is a mild bleach.
Vinegar and Water
Mix equal parts white vinegar and water into a spray bottle. Spray the mixture onto your stain and let it sit for about an hour. Wash the piece of clothing in cold water. Once complete check to see if stain is removed, if not, repeat before drying.
Toilet seats are often prone to stains caused by hard water lines and limescale stains. If you keep them unattended for a long period of time, the stains keep getting nastier and more difficult to deal with. This is why it is important to get rid of the stains from your toilet seat as soon as you encounter them.
But you can clean toilet stains with clever (and common) household potions like vinegar and baking soda. After a good scrub, regular maintenance should slow that menacing stain buildup and leave you with a sparkling throne.
Cathleen Nic Giolla said: “Form a paste with white vinegar and baking soda. Apply to toilet seat and scrub off with the rough side of a sponge. “For stubborn stains leave the paste on for around 10 minutes. Worked wonders for our toilet seat, when even bleach wouldn't take it off.
To use vinegar as a pretreatment, mix a solution of hot water and white vinegar and allow your white clothes to soak anywhere from one hour to overnight. If you want to use vinegar as an addition to a normal wash cycle, simply add the vinegar and your detergent to your washing machine and select your desired setting.