Baking Soda + White Vinegar (The Classic Combo)
This concoction has saved me so many times. Mix baking soda with just enough vinegar to make a pliable paste. Apply the paste and let it hang out for 10–15 minutes, and then scrub it off with a sponge or an old toothbrush. Rinse.
In my own trial-and-error experience, this is the MVP for yellow stains, especially if they are, ahem, urine-related or just general “been there, done that” grime.
Magic Eraser
I steered clear of these for years because I thought they were just overpriced sponges (I was so wrong!). Just grab a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (or an off-brand, they work just as good) and give the seat a solid once over.
There was a moment where I thought I may have to replace the whole seat… then I used one of these, and boom—white. No joke.
Hydrogen Peroxide Soak (For Persistent Stains)
Still lookin dodgy? Time to bust out the big guns. Soak a few paper towels in hydrogen peroxide and lay them over the stains. Let them work for an hour. It bleaches slightly without wrecking the plastic.
A friendly tip from personal experience: do not use this right after using vinegar. They don’t like to coexist. You should rinse in between applications.
A Few Bonus Toilet Cleaning Tips That You’ll Be Glad I Mentioned:
Toilet brush smells bad? Pour some hydrogen peroxide or bleach in the holder every once in a while. It will help avoid making its own ecosystem.
Still grody after cleaning? Sometimes it isn’t you, it’s the seat. And they are cheap! It may save you hours of scrubbing!
Make it part of your routine. I do mine every Sunday. Not out of love for cleaning toilets, but because “future me” has too many things in the queue.
It’s Not Pretty, But it Works:
I know it isn’t the kind project you want to post on Instagram. But believe me, there is great satisfaction from walking into a bathroom with a clean, shining toilet (with no rings on the seat of a nasty yellow color from pee).
From what I’ve seen (and cleaned), the trick to keeping toilet stains at bay is consistency. Take on the stain before it gets comfy. And when life gets in the way – and it will – just grab some baking soda, some peroxide, and your favorite cleaning playlist.
Or if you’re like me, a true crime podcast. Makes the scrubbing even more intense.
And hey, if you’ve got company coming? Nothing says “I have my life together” like a toilet so clean it literally sparkles.
You’re welcome.
