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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

Toilet seat smells

28 replies

Countrydiary · 09/06/2023 17:02

Anyone experienced toilet seat smelling of urine despite cleaning?

I have now scrubbed toilet seat multiple times, including most recently today with bleach mixture, and can still smell it.

It’s quite new so wondering if there’s a nook I’m not getting, or if the seat material is defective and is holding on smells?

It’s so grim 😫 any tips for things to try appreciated

OP posts:
Todaypicard · 09/06/2023 17:03

What is the seat made of? Are you sure it’s the seat? What’s the flooring in the bathroom?

kangaroopelicanartic · 09/06/2023 17:03

Have you cleaned around the hinges? Some have plastic caps that open too.

saveforthat · 09/06/2023 17:06

I have never in my life known a toilet seat to smell of urine. Can you smell it just by standing in the room or do you get close and sniff it. If it's new, I would assume it's a smell coming from the plastic and not urine at all, unless your whole family regularly pees all over the seat.

Original poster
Countrydiary · 09/06/2023 17:17

Todaypicard · 09/06/2023 17:03

What is the seat made of? Are you sure it’s the seat? What’s the flooring in the bathroom?

It looks like a shiny wood composite perhaps? Husband bought it from B&Q so not sure 100%

OP posts:
Original poster
Countrydiary · 09/06/2023 17:17

kangaroopelicanartic · 09/06/2023 17:03

Have you cleaned around the hinges? Some have plastic caps that open too.

Yep, have scrubbed. Haven’t quite gone in with a toothbrush yet but I’m close

OP posts:
Original poster
Countrydiary · 09/06/2023 17:18

Todaypicard · 09/06/2023 17:03

What is the seat made of? Are you sure it’s the seat? What’s the flooring in the bathroom?

Sorry forgot to say, flooring is lino, has been down a while and we’ve never had a problem before. The toilet doesn’t smell, it’s definitely the seat.

OP posts:
OnMyWayToSenility · 09/06/2023 17:20

They are quite easy to clip off these days ! Just pull it and when those clips are off you can clean under them.
My boys are absolutely awful for spraying everywhere!

Put it in the bath and scrub it with bleach.

It all stats humming on hot days 🤣

MurielSpriggs · 09/06/2023 17:23

I mean they're not prohibitively expensive, and if it's bothering you so much and absorbing a lot of time I'd just replace it.

(And see the other thread about hovering/hoovering. You are recommended to remain seated throughout the performance Grin)

Original poster
Countrydiary · 09/06/2023 17:25

saveforthat · 09/06/2023 17:06

I have never in my life known a toilet seat to smell of urine. Can you smell it just by standing in the room or do you get close and sniff it. If it's new, I would assume it's a smell coming from the plastic and not urine at all, unless your whole family regularly pees all over the seat.

Me neither, and no other toilet I’ve been responsible for cleaning has ever had this!

it definitely seems to be the seat, we’ve had it for about six months I’d say, so can’t be a new seat smell.

I could smell it from coming in the room - cleaned it and thought it was better til I then got another whiff.

My daughter sometimes isn’t the best at wiping the seat in the middle of the night, and slight chance that could have been left over half term (although I couldn’t see it!) and soaked in?!

OP posts:
CosmosQueen · 09/06/2023 17:26

I really don’t like wood loo seats, they look lovely for a while then seem to become too easily stained 🤢

Original poster
Countrydiary · 09/06/2023 17:27

CosmosQueen · 09/06/2023 17:26

I really don’t like wood loo seats, they look lovely for a while then seem to become too easily stained 🤢

It’s not actual wood, as we had one when we moved to this house which was disgusting, it looks like white plastic but doesn’t quite have the texture of plastic I’d say which is why I wondered if it was wood that had been sprayed with something.

OP posts:
stopringingme · 09/06/2023 17:28

@Countrydiary

I would find out what it is made of and see if you can look it up to see if there were any warnings about what to clean it with.

My MIL bought a new toilet seat and it had a list of cleaning products not to use on it.

What you have used might have reacted with the material it is made of.

Original poster
Countrydiary · 09/06/2023 17:29

MurielSpriggs · 09/06/2023 17:23

I mean they're not prohibitively expensive, and if it's bothering you so much and absorbing a lot of time I'd just replace it.

(And see the other thread about hovering/hoovering. You are recommended to remain seated throughout the performance Grin)

This made me properly laugh, as far as I’m aware we have no acrobatic toilet users causing problems.

OP posts:
wildfirewonder · 09/06/2023 18:08

I would take it off and take it outside, if the smell goes you know it is the seat, if it doesn't then it is something else.

If it is definitely the seat, and you have thoroughly cleaned it, just replace for one that is more definitely plastic.

cocksstrideintheevening · 09/06/2023 18:16

Just get a new one!

WellINeverKnewWho · 09/06/2023 18:20

Mine does too!! I'm thinking I need to take the cover off, must investigate how to unclip it... I'm also driving myself mad with the smell, I've bleached the darn thing 500 times. Good point about taking the seat out and seeing if it still smells.

dementedpixie · 09/06/2023 18:22

Try an enzyme spray that you'd use for pet urine. It should break down the odour molecules and hopefully make it smell fresh again.

bornintheuk2 · 09/06/2023 18:25

Try using spray intended to use on pet accidents. It's very effective. Urea is a chemical used in plastic manufacture so it could be that.

Jeannie88 · 09/06/2023 18:28

Check the floor as well, can seep over if boys peeing! That's where we worked out the smell came from after cleaning seat. X

BorgQueen · 09/06/2023 18:32

It could be reacting with the bleach?
Try rubbing it with half a lemon that you’ve sprinkled with salt, or soak it in a heavy disinfectant bath.

scrantonelectriccity · 09/06/2023 18:40

Having the exact same problem. I even bought a new toilet seat and within a few hours it smelt of wee (the underside of the front)

DH has even been weeing sat down as I was so sure he was just weeing all the over the seat and not cleaning it. It doesn't matter how much I scrub it, it smells straight away

Wallywobbles · 09/06/2023 20:12

Have you taken the seat off. It's normally under and around the fixtures and fittings. No other way to get to it all except removing it.

ichundich · 09/06/2023 20:15

I would try vinegar and soap. Never bleach on the seat after I once ruined a £120 Grohe seat with it.

Screamingabdabz · 09/06/2023 20:20

OnMyWayToSenility · 09/06/2023 17:20

They are quite easy to clip off these days ! Just pull it and when those clips are off you can clean under them.
My boys are absolutely awful for spraying everywhere!

Put it in the bath and scrub it with bleach.

It all stats humming on hot days 🤣

Does anyone attempt to teach them not to ‘spray everywhere’? Or are they lads that are going to grow up to be men that think it’s ok because a willing woman will clean up their piss?

MurielSpriggs · 09/06/2023 21:22

Screamingabdabz · 09/06/2023 20:20

Does anyone attempt to teach them not to ‘spray everywhere’? Or are they lads that are going to grow up to be men that think it’s ok because a willing woman will clean up their piss?

Show quote history

I mean let's not forget the "hovering" ladies who go off like sprinklers.

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