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Suzanne said, “How do I remove a Harpic blue stain from my acrylic toilet seat please?”
Dyes 
are often used in toilet bowl cleaners to let you know that they’re there, which is important to ensure that you don’t accidentally mix them with another cleaning chemical. However, if the dyes that are used in these cleaners get on a surface outside the bowl, such as on a toilet seat or lid, they can leave stains. Use the information in the steps below to remove the stains.
You Will Need:
- A cleaner (choose one):
- Rubbing alcohol
- Oxygen bleach
- Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
- Chlorine bleach
- Paper towels
- Scrub brush or sponge
- Water
- Soap
Steps to Remove the Stains:
- First, rinse the area thoroughly with water. It is important to rinse away all of the cleaner first to ensure that it does not mix with any cleaning solution that you use to remove the dye stain left behind.
- Rubbing alcohol is a great choice for removing dyes from almost any surface. Soak a paper towel or cloth with the alcohol, then lay the cloth over the stain. Let the alcohol soak for a few minutes, then scrub the area with a scrub brush or sponge. Repeat the process as many times as needed to remove the stain.
- If you have oxygen bleach on hand, this also a great choice. Scrub the stains with either liquid or powdered oxygen bleach mixed with some water until the stains are gone.
- Another great choice for this situation is a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Simply wet the eraser, then scrub away the stain. Wash the area with soapy water afterward to remove any residue that may remain from the cleaning.
- If nothing else works to remove the stain and your toilet seat is white, then chlorine bleach is your best bet. (Be sure to rinse the area thoroughly first if you used a Magic Eraser or other cleaner prior to using chlorine, as the combination can create a toxic gas.) Dilute the bleach in some water (equal parts bleach and water), then pour it on the stain. If the stain is on the side edge of the toilet seat, the bleach can be poured on a paper towel and then pressed onto the stain. Leave the bleach on the stain for a couple minutes, then wipe it off. Repeat the process until the stain is gone, then wash the area with soapy water. (Do not use dish liquid to make the soapy water if it contains ammonia.) Be sure to put down a plastic tarp to prevent the bleach mixture from dripping onto the floor or surrounding surfaces as it may permanently damage them.
Additional Tips and Advice
- If these stains are a consistent problem, a plastic eraser is a good investment to keep on hand so you can quickly rub them away.
- Toilet bowl cleaners usually contain either hydrochloric acid or chlorine bleach, both of which can be extremely dangerous if mixed with other chemicals.
- Even with hard surfaces, it’s always a good idea to test a cleaner on a small, hidden area first to look for any adverse reaction.
Sources
- Clean It Fast, Clean It Right by Jeff Bredenberg
- Don Aslett’s Stainbuster’s Bible by Don Aslett
The inside of the toilet bowl is stained with a blue ring from bowl cleaner I let sit in the bowl for a while. So far, I have not been able to remove this blue stain. Any help out there???? Bar Keepers Friend and some spray bleach cleanser with a rough pad do no work.
Rick,
Sometimes you have to just keep trying other methods until you find the one that works. Tru using either alcohol or OxiClean, those tend to work well on dyes. Just be sure to thoroughly rinse the area between each cleaner to ensure they don’t mix. Good luck!
Melanie, I have been using a blue, clingy toilet bowl cleaner. This cleaner leaves blue trails down the side of both of our toilets and the entire bowl under the water is also blue, especially in the older toilet. Is there anything I can use to get these stains out? They always look so dirty! I am switching to a regular cleaner that is not clingy and not blue or green, but would love to know how to clean the stain out.
Thank you.
Hi Brenda,
Sorry for the delay!! Hopefully you’ve removed the stain by now, but in case you haven’t, we’ve created a guide for you: How to Remove Blue Dye Stains from a Toilet Bowl. Would love to hear what worked for you!
No luck with vinegar or rubbing alcohol. Will try Magic Eraser next.
Dear Melanie,
Please help! Some blue-dye toilet cleaner leaked onto my brand new painted wood toilet seat lid, leaving an ugly stain. Any ideas on how to remove the stain without damaging the painted wood finish? Thank you!
Hi Gale!
Oh no! Don’t worry – there’s a guide for that: How to Remove Dyes from Finished Wood. There are several methods listed; only use the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser as a last resort. Hope this helps!! If absolutely nothing removes the stain, maybe you could have the seat repainted to cover the stain? Good luck!