You can use vinegar, coke, and lemon juice to remove the hideous yellow stains on your toilet seat. Simply spray the homemade cleaners on the toilet seat, wait for them to work their magic. If nothing works, you can repaint the toilet seat to make it as good as new!
No one likes to see yellow, ugly stains on their toilet seats as they are disgusting, irritating, and show a lack of proper hygiene. To remove the stubborn stains, we all resort to cleaning the toilet seat religiously and sometimes use bleach to do so.
Bleach is a versatile household chemical. From brightening white clothes to keeping your toilet seat sparkling clean, it comes in very handy. However, there is a yellow dye in bleach that tends to leave unsightly stains behind.
Here’s what to do if your toilet seat turned yellow after bleaching.
How to Clean Toilet Seat that has turned Yellow after Bleaching
Bleach is a hard, acidic, and complex chemical. It has a burning nature. Improper or excessive use removes color from the seat and results in yellow, discolored toilet seats.
If you use bleach properly, and according to the safety guidelines, there is a very slight chance that you will end up with yellow toilet seats.
But if the toilet seat has turned yellow due to improper use of bleach, then you have to try the following methods to get your toilet seat sparkling clean once more!
1. Use Distilled White Vinegar
Distilled vinegar is a wonderful household cleaner and can help you lift off yellow toilet seat stains.
Things You Will Need
- Dishwashing Liquid
- Water
- Kettle
- Sponge
- White Vinegar
- Old Cloth
- Paper Towels
Method
- Take some water and bring it to a boil in the kettle.
- Mix 2 cups of water with 1 tbsp. of dishwashing soap.
- Stir the mixture vigorously.
- Take a sponge and dip it in soapy water.
- Scrub the stained area thoroughly.
- Rinse with clean water.
- Take ¼ cup of distilled vinegar.
- Add 1 cup of boiling water to it and stir thoroughly.
- With the help of old cloth, dab this solution onto the stains.
- Rub it in gently and let the vinegar work its magic for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Rinse the toilet seat and use a paper towel to dry the surface.
- If the stains persist, repeat.
- If the discoloration is still there, you can try out a different remedy.
2. Use Coke
Coke is not only a great, refreshing drink, but it also works well as a cleaner as well. Coke contains phosphoric acid, which is very effective in getting rid of yellow stains.
Things You Will Need
- Coke
- Sponge
- Towel
- Water
Method
- Take a bottle of coke and pour some of it into a small bowl.
- Dip a sponge in the coke and apply it to the stains thoroughly.
- Let it work on the stains for 10 minutes.
- Rinse and dry.
- Now take a small towel and soak it completely with coke.
- Cover the stains with a towel.
- Wait for 30 minutes.
- Remove the towel and wash the toilet seat.
- If the stains are still there, repeat the process.
3. Use Lemon Juice
Lemon juice contains citric acid which makes it a very efficient homemade cleaner.
Things You Will Need
- Lemon Juice
- Tea Tree/Pine/Lavender Oil
- Spray Bottle
- Sponge
Method
- Take a cup of fresh or packaged lemon juice.
- Add a few drops of lavender, tea tree, or pine oil to it.
- Pour this mixture into a sprayer.
- Spray it all over the yellow stains.
- Let the mixture sit for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
- Scrub it with the help of a sponge.
- Rinse the toilet seat with clean water and let it dry.
- If the stains are still there, repeat the entire process.
4. Use Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen Peroxide contains oxidizing compounds that make it a very good disinfectant and an effective cleaner as well.
Things You Will Need
- Hot Water
- Dishwashing Liquid
- Cotton Swab
- Sponge
- Hydrogen Peroxide
Method
- Take 1 cup of hot water and add 1 tbsp. dishwashing liquid to it.
- Clean the toilet seat thoroughly with it.
- Take a cotton swab and dip it in a bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide.
- Dab the cotton swab over the yellow spots.
- Let the hydrogen peroxide sit for 15 minutes.
- Wipe the area with a wet sponge.
- If the discoloration is still there, repeat as many times as necessary.
5. Use Baking Soda
Baking soda is a mild alkali that helps dirt and dust dissolve the water very easily, thus helps in cleaning tough stains.
Things You Will Need
- Baking Soda
- Soap
- Water
- Toothbrush
- Towel
Method
- Thoroughly clean the toilet seat with soap and water.
- Take ¼ cup of baking soda.
- Add warm water to the baking soda and make a grainy paste.
- Use an old toothbrush to apply this mixture to the stains.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Scrub the baking soda mixture using the toothbrush over the stains.
- Let it sit again for 5 minutes.
- Rinse with clean water.
- Dry the surface using an old towel.
- If the stains still persist, repeat.
6. Use Toothpaste
Toothpaste is mildly abrasive and contains cleaning ingredients that help in removing stains from not only your teeth but your toilet as well
Things You Will Need
- Toothpaste
- Sponge
- Old Cloth
- Water
Method
- Clean the toilet seat thoroughly before you try to remove the stains.
- Get your hands on non-gel, white toothpaste. Spread it evenly over the yellow stains.
- Take a wet sponge and rub the toothpaste into the stain gently.
- Allow the toothpaste to dry.
- With the help of a wet cloth, wipe away the residue.
- Repeat if there are any stains left.
Alternative Solution – Paint the Toilet Seat
If you have tried all the methods that we have listed above, and still the stubborn yellow stains refuse to go away, you are left with only one option – painting your toilet seat. New paint will cover the stains up and you will no longer have to worry about ugly, disgusting yellow stains.
Painting your toilet seat is less expensive than getting a new one entirely. Here’s how you can paint your toilet seat.
Things You Will Need
- Spray Paint
- Spray Primer
- Sealant
- Knife
- Sponge
- Scrub Brush
- Cloth
- Disinfectant
- Painter’s Tape
- Sandpaper
- Water
- Dishwashing Soap
- Sponge
- Towel
- Plastic Tarp
- Drop Cloth
Method
Clean the Toilet
- Wear protective gloves, a face mask, and goggles to keep yourself safe from the paint fumes.
- Mix water and dishwashing soap. Thoroughly clean your toilet with the mixture.
- Now, you need to use disinfectant to make sure that the surface of your toilet is free from all kinds of germs, bacteria, etc. to prevent germ contamination. Spray it on the toilet seat.
- Let it sit for 15 minutes.
- Scrub your toilet seat with a scrubbing brush.
- Rinse with water.
Remove the Toilet
- If you remove the toilet, you will not have to worry about the paint getting on the toilet floor and creating a whole new mess.
- Remove all the visible nuts and bolts, and remove the toilet.
- If this is not possible, then remove all the things in the surrounding area and cover the floor completely with a plastic tarp, or large drop cloths.
Cover the Toilet Seat with Painter’s Tape
- If you are not going to paint the toilet seat completely, then you need to use painter’s tape. Mark the area that you are going to paint.
- Cover the remaining area with painter’s tape.
Sand Your Toilet
- With the help of sandpaper, sand the toilet.
- This will not only remove the yellow stains slightly but will also prepare the surface of the toilet for the paint and primer.
- Take a wet sponge and remove the sanded particles.
- Dry the toilet with a clean towel.
Apply Primer
- Take a look at the material of your toilet seat and select a primer that works perfectly with it.
- Spray the primer over the affected areas evenly in a sweeping motion.
- Let the first layer of primer dry completely.
- Spray on another layer of primer in the same fashion.
- Once the primer dries, you can turn the toilet seat cover and apply the primer to the opposite side, following the steps mentioned above.
Apply Paint
- When the primer dries, you can start applying the paint. Shake the paint bottle thoroughly.
- Apply a thin layer of paint on the side of the toilet seat.
- Once it dries, apply a single coat on the other side as well.
- Now, apply the second coat of paint on both sides of the toilet and let it dry completely.
Apply Sealant
- To protect your paint and keep it from getting ruined due to daily wear and tear, you need to seal it with a layer of sealant.
- Spray a layer of sealant on one side of the toilet.
- Once it dries completely, spray a layer on the other side as well.
Reinstall the Toilet
- Once the paint dries, remove the painter’s tape.
- If you had previously removed the toilet, now you have to reinstall it carefully. Make sure that you don’t scratch the paint off in the process.
3 Reasons for Yellow Stains other than Bleach
While using bleach on your porcelain toilet seat can result in yellow stains, it is not the only reason and cause for yellow stains on the toilet. The other sources of yellow stains are:
- Sunlight
- Urine
- Hard Water
Sunlight
We all know that harmful sun rays can result in sunburn, and as a result, we wear sunblock to prevent any harm. However, what most of us don’t know is that sunlight can damage porcelain as well.
As a result of direct and prolonged exposure to sunlight, your toilet seat starts to turn yellow. Make sure that you keep your toilet door closed to prevent sunlight damage. If there are any windows that allow sunlight to hit the toilet seat directly, keep them covered.
You can change the direction of the toilet seat as well if that is possible.
Urine
Another likely culprit of yellow stains on your toilet seat is urine. Over time, the urine splashes and drops build up in the form of a residue that turns yellow. If you don’t clean your toilet often, these stains will harden up and take a permanent form.
This means that if you regularly clean your toilet and maintain good hygienic conditions in the bathroom, you can prevent this kind of stains.
Hard Water
Many people use hard water in their toilets. Hard water, unlike soft water, has calcium, iron, magnesium, and other impurities. These minerals get stuck to the surface of the toilet and are not noticeable initially.
Over the passage of time, the mineral deposit builds up and leaves yellow stains on the toilet seat. So even if you clean the toilet regularly, there is a likelihood that you will have yellow stains on your toilet seat.
How to Prevent Yellow Stains from Bleach
Instead of trying to remove stubborn stains from the toilet, why not try to prevent the stains in the first place, right? Here are a few preventive steps that you can follow to avoid yellow stains.
- Stay away from chlorine bleach when it comes to cleaning your bathroom.
- Never mix bleach with any other cleaning chemicals.
- If you are using a cleaning product that has bleach in it, make a very thin, dilute solution.
- Don’t let the toilet seat soak for long in the cleaning solution that contains bleach.
FAQs for Cleaning Toilet Seats that have turned Yellow after Bleaching
Should I not use bleach for cleaning my toilet at all?
Whether bleach will ruin your toilet seat or not depends on different factors, such as the material of the toilet, the type of bleach you are using, etc. To be on the safe side, stay away from bleach when it comes to cleaning white toilet seats.
Does the material of the toilet seat have any role in causing yellow stains?
Yes, the material of the toilet seat has a role in causing yellow stains. Plastic and porcelain-enameled toilet seats are more prone to yellow stains as compared to the ones made from fireclay and direct porcelain.
