Bleach is one of the most versatile household chemicals. Whether you want to brighten white clothes, remove germs and bacteria from surfaces, get rid of spiders from your home, or even keep your toilet seat sparkling clean, bleach comes in handy.
So yes, this time, you opted to use bleach for cleaning your toilet seat. Everything seemed to have worked to your expectations at first, only to come back to unsightly yellow stains later. What is the way out?
How To Remove Yellow Bleach Stains From a Toilet Seat?
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to revert the effect of bleach on your toilet seat. Yes, if the yellow stains actually came from bleach, and you are totally sure about it, then there isn’t much to do to get rid of those stains.
You might have seen several suggestions on how you can restore the former glory of your toilet seat. You might even have tried several of them to no avail. Well, the fact is that currently, no magic product can work to restore the beauty of your toilet.
Nevertheless, there are a few things you can do to make those ugly stains less noticeable. If possible, consider spray-painting the stained areas using the color of paint used for the seat, that is, white. The new paint won’t remove the yellow stains. However, it will cover them up and keep you from embarrassment when your guests use the washroom.
You see, bleach works by removing paint. The yellow stains you see in your toilet seat are zones of discoloration. Perhaps you sprayed the bleach and left it for some time, so where you see those ugly markings are the exact areas the bleach settled.
So yes, when bleach removes the color of something, there’s no way you can undo that except by repainting, which is not always applicable. When you do the painting right, it may even conceal the stained areas entirely. But that depends on the nature of the stains.
Where painting isn’t applicable for you, consider replacing the entire fixture altogether. You will still have the stained toilet seat with you, but you will have gotten rid of the stains and made your washroom even more appealing.
Does Bleach Turn the Toilet Seat Yellow?
Yes, bleach will turn the toilet seat yellow, but that will depend on the material of the toilet seat. For instance, bleach will leave some stains when used for a porcelain-enameled fixture. So yes, if that’s the kind of toilet seat you have, using chlorine bleach will be attracting trouble.
However, for fireclay and straight porcelain models, it’s okay to clean with bleach. For these fixtures, bleach will likely give you the results you want without leaving any stains. But again, it comes with caveats.
For instance, it shouldn’t be the regular chlorine bleach. Get the type that works best for cleaning toilets. If not, ensure that you follow to the letter the dilution instructions usually provided on the bottle.
Again, after you apply bleach on these toilets, don’t leave this chemical to sit there for long. Leaving the bleach unrinsed for long can cause discoloration. So yes, only apply bleach when you are ready to begin the cleaning right away.
Also, rinsing has to be thorough. Avoid leaving any traces of bleach on your toilet. Even the least amount of this chemical will damage a toilet seat. So yes, always rinse your toilet seat thoroughly after you use bleach cleaner.
Lastly, avoid mixing bleach with any other household chemical. While you could get good results from mixing bleach with other household chemicals, don’t assume that things will always work perfectly all the time.
Likely, you won’t tell the chemical properties of the resulting cocktail. It could either damage your toilet seat, give you the results you want, or perform averagely. But generally, using a combination of bleach and other chemicals isn’t recommendable. It could even result in something toxic for your health!
Does Bleach Ruin the Toilet?
We don’t have a straightforward answer to this question. Whether or not bleach will ruin your toilet depends on several factors: how you use the product and the material of your toilet seat.
How You Use The Bleach?
For you to get the best results from any product, you have to use it appropriately. That’s the same with bleach. With proper use, this versatile household cleaner will give you that sparkling clean toilet you’ve always wanted to have.
However, failure to adhere to the “rules of the game” when bleaching your toilet attracts regrets. And as stated, the rules are simple – don’t mix it with any other product, avoid using the regular chlorine bleach, and don’t leave it on your toilet for long- and that’s it!
The Material of Toilet Seat
We’ve said that bleach doesn’t work well for some types of toilet seats, for instance, the porcelain-enameled varieties. As such, when cleaning this variety, it’s best to opt for other cleaners.
What Causes Yellow Stains on a Toilet?
While it’s possible to get yellow stains from bleach, it’s not the only source. In fact, it could be the spots you see on your toilet seat didn’t come from the bleach. As such, it’s good to do your own research on what really might have attracted those yellow markings on your toilet.
Other than bleach, other likely sources of yellow stains include;
- Hard water
- Urine
- Sunlight
1. Hard water
Most households use hard water for their toilets. However, that doesn’t mean it’s the best option. With time, much like bleach, hard water will give your toilet seat yellow stains.
Unlike soft water, hard water has magnesium, iron, calcium, and other impurities. All of these minerals attach themselves to the surface of your toilet. In the first few days, the deposit isn’t something you are going to notice. However, as you continue to use hard water for your toilet, it will build up and eventually become more pronounced.
So yes, yellow stains on a toilet don’t always imply poor cleaning. No, not at all! The water you use can be the culprit behind the gradual color transformation happening on your toilet.
2. Urine
Urine is the other likely cause of yellow stains on toilets. With time, urine drops and splashes build up to form a residue that transforms toilet seats yellow. Bacteria here is more likely and can pass from one person to another.
But again, urine stains will only occur when you don’t clean your toilet more often. So yes, if you keep your toilet hygiene up to par, then the yellow deposit is likely to have originated from something else.
3. Sunlight
You might have heard about sunlight causing sunburns on the skin. However, one thing you probably haven’t heard of is sunlight yellowing toilet seats. Sure, it’s the least likely cause of yellow stains, but it can still make toilet seats pick up these stains.
A toilet that’s in direct view of a window can get yellow stains from sunlight. So yes, if that’s the case with your toilet seat, then chances are bleach isn’t the likely cause of the yellow build-up you see.
So yes, much like bleach, hard water, urine, and sunlight can also transform toilet seats from white to yellow. As such, always view any yellow deposits on a toilet from a wider angle.
So, what can you do to get rid of these stains? Well, that question ushers us to the next section.
How Do I Get My Yellow Toilet Seat White Again?
How to get your yellow toilet seat white again will depend on the cause of the stains. If caused by bleach, then the only remedy is to repaint. And just in case that doesn’t sound the best thing for you, then you can consider replacing the fixture.
However, where they are from other causes, getting rid of yellow stains becomes easier. Some of the ways include;
1. Soak in Bleach
I know it sounds like an irony, but bleach can also remove yellow stains. In fact, most homeowners will confirm that using bleach is one of the ways to get the brightness you’ve always wanted for your bathroom.
When you notice awful yellow staining, remove the seat and soak it in a large container of bleach solution. With a hard-bristle brush, scrub the seat until the stains disappear. Rinse it thoroughly and fix it back. Again, only ensure that you use chlorine recommended for toilet applications.
2. White Vinegar
You probably have used vinegar in your home. It has a variety of uses, and one of them is cleaning toilet seats. White vinegar is acidic, and that gives it more power to loosen stains and make them easier to remove.
Getting the job done here isn’t rocket science – just spread vinegar paste over the stained areas and leave for an hour. Then, using a brush, scrub the toilet seat until clean. That’s it!
3. Use Coke
You probably weren’t expecting this, but coke can also help you get rid of yellow stains on your toilet seat. This drink contains phosphoric acid, an effective cleaner for yellow stains.
Begin by pouring a bottle of coke into a small container. Then, dip a towel into the drink and place it on the stains. After some time, preferably half an hour, remove the towel and scrub the area clean.
4. Baking Soda
Baking soda is also a powerful stain remover. Just form a paste of baking soda and smear it on the stains. Let it sit for about 20 minutes and scrub using a toilet brush. You could also use a scratch-free sponge if you don’t have this brush. For stubborn stains, consider using warm water when making the paste.
Conclusion
While bleach is a revered cleaner, it can cause yellow stains on toilet seats. When that happens, there isn’t much you can do to undo the staining. The only two options are to spray-paint the entire toilet or to replace it. The yellow stains are areas of discoloration, so there isn’t any way you can restore the removed paint.
But again, it’s worth noting that all yellow stains don’t have to come from the bleach. They could come from urine, sunlight, or even the water you use. Where that’s the case, then it’s possible to get rid of the stains. You will need to use bleach, vinegar, baking soda, or coke.