Cleaning fans say bleach 'makes yellow toilet stains worse' - and share 44p tip

Cleaning toilets can be a challenging job, particularly when stubborn yellow stains refuse to come off the toilet seat even after hours of vigorous scrubbing. In search of solutions for her discoloured toilet seat, Lilian Beckett sought advice on the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook page, asking: "White toilet seat going yellow on edge, what should I use to clean it? ".

Many would instinctively reach for bleach to deal with such stains, but members of this cleaning-focused group argued against it. They stated that bleach is ineffective, with some suggesting it could exacerbate the problem.

Suzi Robinson asserted, "Bleaching doesn't work", while Theresa Turner said: "I found bleaching makes it worse.", reports the Express.

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Michael Barnes went further saying: "Never use bleach on the plastic toilet seats. It eats into the shiny resistant coating." Offering similar advice, Carol Meares cautioned against its use explaining: "Bleaching causes plastic to yellow."

Ann Stanton was specific in her instruction: "Don't put bleach down the toilet and close the lid. The fumes will yellow the plastic."

Instead of standard household cleaners, several group members extolled the virtues of magic sponges.

Christine Richards shared her positive experience stating: "After reading a comment on Facebook, I tried a magic sponge and it did a great job. I'd give it a try." Sheila Gillmore endorsed the method, saying: "Use a magic sponge. They're absolute genius. It worked for me in seconds."

Sue Crowder testified to their effectiveness claiming: "The only thing that worked for me was a magic eraser." Echoing these sentiments, Jackie Thornley said: "I've just removed mine with a magic sponge. Looks perfect now."

One Facebook user posted: "Branded magic sponges are expensive so suggest getting a multipack of non-branded Melamine sponges off Amazon." Several members agreed that purchasing a pack of cheap sponges from online retailers is the best way to go.