Toilets can become quite unsightly, especially if there is a urine stain around their base.
This is the easiest way to remove an old urine stain in the bathroom:
- Soak it overnight with a cleaning agent, preferably white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide
- Scrub it vigorously with a brush
- Rinse and repeat if necessary
How To Get Rid Of A Urine Stain Around The Toilet Base
You likely spend considerable time cleaning the toilet, including the seat and lid. Unfortunately, you can get urine that leaks out from underneath the lid or from missed aim.
An improperly sealed toilet bowl could also leak soiled water from beneath.
Follow the steps in this article to get your toilet fresh again.
1. Gather Items (List)
- Cleaning solution of your choice
- Soft scrub brush or toothbrush
- Soft cloths, towels or paper towels
- Sponge
- Spray bottle
- Small mixing bowl
- Rubber gloves
- Mop and bucket
- Silicone caulk
- Caulking gun
- Utility knife
2. Choose And Make A Cleaning Solution
You can eliminate offending odors and even the embarrassment that a dirty toilet base can bring by choosing an effective cleaning solution.
=> Looking for a custom house floor plan? Click here to fill out our form, a member of our team will be in touch.
Urine stains leave behind dried uric acid, which can look like mineral deposits.
If urine has built up and dried onto the surface into a crusty residue, you may be able to loosen it up with a wet toothbrush or sponge.
However, you should choose a cleaning solution to disinfect and completely remove all of it.
The table below offers cleaning solutions that you can easily make at home. These options are generally safe for use on multiple surfaces, since it is likely the stain touches the toilet base, caulk, grout, and tile or other floor materials.
Refer to product and ingredient labels as needed for handling and use.
| Ingredients | Recipe/Prep | Cleaning Properties |
|---|---|---|
| Vinegar Water Baking Soda | Mix baking soda and a small amount of water to form a paste. Pour vinegar into a spray bottle. | Vinegar’s acidic properties dissolve grime and mineral deposits and kill bacteria. Baking soda neutralizes offensive odors and removes stains. |
| Hydrogen Peroxide (3%) Borax/Baking soda Dish Detergent | Mix ¼-cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide with a few drops of dish detergent and a scoop of borax in a spray bottle. Alternatively, put the hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle. Add three tablespoons of baking soda and a few drops of dish detergent to it. Shake to mix. | of dish detergent and a scoop of borax in a spray bottle. Alternatively, put the hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle. Add three tablespoons of baking soda and a few drops of dish detergent to it. Shake to mix. Hydrogen peroxide removes microorganisms and mineral deposits. Borax, also known as boric acid, removes stains, mold, and mildew. Dish detergent has surfactants to get rid of grime. |
| Vinegar Dish Detergent | Mix equal parts of vinegar and dish detergent in a spray bottle. Shake to mix. | Vinegar combines its acidic properties with the dish detergent’s surfactants to sanitize against bacteria and remove mineral deposits and grime. |
| Grapefruit Essential Oil Vinegar Water | Put 15 drops of grapefruit essential oil into a ½ cup of vinegar in a bucket. Fill a bucket with warm water and mix. | Vinegar is acidic and kills bacteria while dissolving grime and mineral deposits. Grapefruit oil is antibacterial and can help remove stains. |
| Bleach Water | In a well-ventilated area, mix 1 part bleach with 10 parts water in a spray bottle. Protect surfaces from the bleach as you pour. | Bleach will disinfect the area and remove stains. |
| Commercial Toilet Cleaners | Refer to the labeling to ensure that any commercial cleaner is formulated for use on the caulk, toilet base, and flooring materials. | The ingredients in many commercial cleaners fight odors, stains, and grime. |
3. Apply The Cleaning Solution
After you have purchased or made your cleaning solution, look below for how to apply your choice.
Vinegar, Water, Baking Soda
- Use your fingers, a toothbrush or a small scrub brush, and dip it into the baking soda paste.
- Spread the baking soda paste onto the toilet base.
- Scrub gently, using care not to break the caulk.
- Let it sit for ten minutes.
- Spray vinegar onto the paste and allow it to fizz and sit for five minutes.
Hydrogen Peroxide (3%), Borax, Dish Detergent
- Spray the mixture onto the stain.
- Let it sit for 15 minutes.
Grapefruit Oil, Vinegar, Water
- Pour, or use the sponge or mop to apply the solution.
- Let it sit on the affected area for 15 minutes.
Vinegar, Dish Detergent
- Shake the bottle before spraying to mix ingredients thoroughly.
- Spray the affected surface.
- Let it sit for 15 minutes.
Bleach, Water
- Test an inconspicuous spot behind the toilet to make sure the bleach does not alter the color of your flooring, toilet, or caulk.
- Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes, before wiping it away.
- If it passes the color test, spray the stained area.
- Let it sit for 15 minutes.
Commercial Toilet Cleaners
Follow the product’s instructions, taking note if you need to ventilate the room.
If any of these products contain bleach, test an inconspicuous area first to ensure that it will maintain the integrity of colors in the work area.
Alternatively, you can use only white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide . Soak towels in the solution and let them sit on the affected surface overnight.
4. Scrub The Stain And Dry
- Scrub in the cleaning solution with a soft toothbrush or scrub brush, using care around the caulk.
- Wipe away the residue with paper towels.
- Use clean water to mop or sponge away any remaining solution and residue.
- If a stain remains, repeat the process with your chosen cleaning solution.
- If you change the solution that you use, use caution if using bleach. Make sure other cleaning solutions have been thoroughly removed first.
- When done, dry the area thoroughly with towels.
If using a cleaning solution with bleach, keep the area ventilated until the bleach smell is completely gone.
Maintaining The Area Around The Toilet
You can take steps to protect the bathroom floor from urine. This will lower the likelihood of urine stains and odors around the toilet base.
Pro tip: If you want to discover all urine stains and splashes in the bathroom, put on eye protection and use a specific ultraviolet light. You might find that even areas away from the toilet can be affected and need a thorough cleaning.
Recaulking
If the caulk around the toilet base has been damaged or doesn’t come clean, you should remove it and replace it with a new caulk bead.
Clear caulk is less likely to show staining in the future as compared to white caulk. It still should be cleaned regularly.
When applying a new caulk, make sure there are no gaps in the material that could allow liquid to go in underneath the toilet base.
This could lead to moisture that can promote rot in the subflooring or mold and mildew buildup. This would be difficult to reach and clean without completely removing the toilet.
Daily Inspection And Cleaning
Everyone in the family should inspect the toilet after use, including the base, and clean up any messes with toilet paper as soon as they happen.
If messes and drips are just left there, they will start to smell and eventually stain the toilet base and floor, requiring deeper cleaning.
Leaving a spray bottle with a cleaning solution that is safe to use by all family members (including children) and a roll of paper towels near the toilet could help clean messes right away and prevent staining.
Just remember that you should never flush paper towels down the toilet, or you might clog the drain. Dispose of the paper towels in a covered wastebasket.
Disposable Absorbent Mats
If urine spills are a major problem, another option is to use disposable toilet mats around the base that will absorb any leaked urine. They come with a waterproof backing and absorbent top. Simply throw them away if soiled.
There are other variations of this product, where the mat has a gel that absorbs liquid and odors and looks more like a non-slip bath mat. It sits around the base of the toilet and lasts four to six weeks before it needs to be thrown away.
If using one of these options, it is a good idea to clean underneath the mat before putting down a new one.
Splash Guards
Urine guards can be attached to toilet seats to prevent leakage from under the toilet seat when sitting.
They can be discreetly installed under the seat to stop leaks and are generally applied with suction cups or adhesive.
These should be cleaned and disinfected with a cleaning solution of your choice regularly.