Staining anywhere can be a nightmare, but more so on toilet seats. However, understanding the root cause is key before tackling the clean-up.

Urine is a common culprit for staining. When it mixes with water, it breaks down organic matter such as bacteria or fungi that may be present on the toilet seat, lid, and bowl.

Another frequent issue is hard water stains, also known as limescale. These are caused by a buildup of calcium and other minerals and can leave unsightly marks on both the toilet seat and bowl.

Bleach, while a powerful disinfectant, can also be to blame. It’s great for killing germs but can react chemically with the plastic of a toilet seat, especially if used in its undiluted form, leading to an unwanted yellow hue.

After trying numerous cleaning products without success, one desperate cleaning buff turned to the Mr Hinch Cleaning Tips and Tricks Facebook group for help.

They posted anonymously, sharing a photo of their yellow-stained toilet seat and pleading: “Help! My toilet seat is stained and I have tried so much to get it off but nothing has worked.”

They continued, detailing their efforts: “I’ve tried using a scourer with pink stuff, baking soda and vinegar, lemon, Viakal and bleach – you name it.

“Nothing works and I feel so dirty. Has anyone got any advice, or am I going to need a new toilet seat?”

Over 100 group members chimed in with tips, but the top hack was reaching for a magic eraser.

Regarded as fantastic for stubborn stains that many give up on, magic erasers are cleaning sponges with a reputation for tackling the toughest of marks.

Sarah Ridge shared her thoughts: “A magic eraser works wonders! Only thing I’ve found that removes these stains.”

Lauren Watson raved about her find: “The Flash magic sponge is incredible. I thought the stains on my toilet seat were going to be impossible to remove before I tried this.

“A magic eraser sponge works wonders on everything, even removes stains on walls without any damage.”

For Ruth Angus, it was a stroke of luck: “Try a magic sponge, I used one as a last resort and it worked perfectly. The stains just disappeared and it only took a minute of rubbing it. No scrubbing here.”

Meanwhile, Katie Thomas couldn’t contain her enthusiasm: “Magic eraser! I have just recently discovered how magical these things really are and man are they life-changing.”