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So it’s a sweet early morning and you stumble into the bathroom just to get surprised with a blue butt and thighs imprint on the toilet’s seat?

Possibly, your first reaction would be to blame the other members of the house who share the same bathroom. After all, you didn’t dip your butt in blue ink and then smeared it all over your snow-white seat! Of course, to be 100% guaranteed you’re not the culprit, you’ll look in the mirror and would definitely find that your trusty a** is the same color it’s always been.

And then after that uncomfortable investigation with your bathroom partner, when they swear by not discoloring your hard or soft plastic toilet seat, you will find yourself buckled under the strain… thinking of what actually caused your toilet seat to turn blue, black, or light grey?

Why Is My Toilet Seat Turning Blue? [Explained]

There are different reasons behind the toilet seat’s discoloration into blue.

As per theories, it is due to the reaction of the chemicals excreted through a person’s sweat and the toilet seat’s components. Sweat-glands-disorder called Chromhidrosis, that causes blue colored sweating. Corynebacterium (present on human skin) reacting with the silver coating on the cover. A dye from medication or a supplement that might be leaching out in the person’s sweat. Or simply the dye of your blue jeans that have rubbed against your skin and then transferred to the toilet seat.

Let’s dig deeper into the details and learn what causes blue tinges on the seat of your bathroom.

Also Read: Why Is My Toilet Seat Turning Pink or Purple?

1). Your hormones are likely to be blamed.

A majority of men and women who reported the blue seat phenomenon had one thing in common and that was “imbalanced hormone levels”. Hormonal changes before, during, and after pregnancy can cause temporary pseudochromhidrosis. This state temporarily creates a rare sweat condition that interacts with some surface bacteria, and blue/black staining is the consequence on certain surfaces such as the toilet seat.

Are you a male or not a pregnant lady… but still caused the toilet seats to turn a shade of blue?

Here again hormone levels that are out of balance are guilty of wreaking havoc on your bathroom’s toilet seats.

So it’s just the reaction between the chemicals excreted through your skin during the hormonal imbalance stage and the components of the toilet seat. However, not all toilet seats respond to this reaction. For example, some people have reported that it only happened to their white soft toilet seat and that the use of a hard toilet seat did not cause the same reaction.

2). You have acidic skin.

Are you on to some sort of medication or vitamin dose? Medicines, especially those taken during pregnancy or energy supplements rich in Vitamin B complex imbalance the natural acidity of the human body. Not everyone’s body reacts to medication intake like this, but some do.

These chances are even higher when you are pregnant. As medicines in pregnancy combined with the elevated levels of Estrogen and Progesterone are enough to change your body’s chemistry.

The change in the PH of the skin (i.e skin turning acidic) causes an instant reaction when sweat excreted through your acidic skin reacts with the toilet seat’s surface. The difference in the pH of the skin reacts with the ionized silver antimicrobial coating of the toilet seats which causes the silver to oxidize and take on a blue hue. As a result of this sweat-surface reaction, blue stains form all over the toilet’s surface where your sweaty butt and thighs have come into contact against.

Not sure about your body’s PH? Take acid testing strips from a local drug store and monitor your body’s PH level using your saliva or urine – early in the morning on an empty stomach or as instructed on the strip.

3). Sweat glands or skin disorders.

Disorders like Corynebacterium and Chromhidrosis are other reasons behind your toilet seat turning blue.

Corynebacterium

Corynebacterium is present in human skin. All species of this bacteria require Vitamin B7 (Biotin), Vitamin B1 (Thiamin), Para-Aminobenzoic Acid PABA (an amino acid generally present in folic acid supplements/vitamins), and Prenatal vitamins to grow.

And aren’t most of us taking these supplements particularly for hair, nails, and skincare?

This bacteria allows your sweat/body oils to have a blue / greyish hue that can be transferred. It might also react with antimicrobial coatings on things like toilet seats.

Chromhidrosis

Chromhidrosis is a sweat gland disorder that causes yellow, blue, black, and green sweat excretion in humans. These colors are caused by a pigment called lipofuscin, which is formed in the sweat glands. Lipofuscin is normal in human cells, but people with chromhidrosis have elevated amounts of lipofuscin, which triggers discoloration of body oils.

People suffering from any of these disorders would also probably have blue stains on their shirt’s armpit areas, bedsheets, underwear, and forehead.

4). Your jeans or underwear dye rubbing off on your skin and transferring to the toilet seat.

The indigo dye on your new jeans or dark-colored underwear might have rubbed everywhere on your skin, and that color could have immediately transferred to the toilet seat as you sit down to do your thing. So look for colorfastness in your clothes before thinking there’s an odd chemical reaction taking place inside your skin or body.

How To Get Rid Of Blue Stains From Toilet Seat?

Here’s what you can do to clear blue stains from your toilet seat:

Get a high-quality toilet bowl cleaner or a bleach cleaner. Normal household bleach will fit well, too.
Squirt the solvent onto the stained surfaces.
Let the solvent rest for a few minutes to fight off the blue tint and disinfect bacteria.
Use a gentle brush to clean the dyed surface.
Avoid exerting too much pressure or using rough brushes, since they may scrape the toilet seat and remove the protective lining of the toilet.

Also, try a quick dab of a nail polish remover on a cotton ball, if nothing else eliminates the blue stain from the plastic. Try at a discreet place first just to ensure there is no unusual reaction. A huge amount can harm the toilet’s finish, so just use a small amount and see. Nail polish remover has saved many people the cost of purchasing a new toilet!

Can I Remove The Blue Stain Completely?

Yes, if it is just a dye from your jeans. Very difficult or impossible if it has occurred due to a chemical reaction between your body’s oils and the toilet seat’s surface.

People tried Magic Erasers, alcohol, vinegar, ammonia, and more, with no luck. Since the blue hue is probably due to a chemical reaction (rather than a stain), there is no turning back. You can lighten the tint, however, the only way to get your seat white again is to buy a new one.

Conclusion

There are several theories behind the toilet seat turning blue. The most common one is the reaction of sweat/body oils excreted through your hormonally-imbalanced or acidic body with the toilet seat’s surface. A condition like Corynebacterium and Chromhidrosis could also be the reasons. If not anything, it’s probably a dye transfer from your jeans.

So you just used your toilet and found a pink or purple stain on the seat?

You are not alone!

The discolored toilet seat is a widely debated topic on the internet, and both men and women have been victims of this bizarre phenomenon.

But why does toilet seat discoloration take place? The reasons could be many – ranging from airborne bacteria to acidic body sweating and reaction of toilet cleaning detergent to stains caused due to the jeans or undies dye on your butt.

Let’s dig into the details and learn what is this magical thing causing your toilet seat to turn purplish-pink!

1). The pink stains could be due to Serratia Marcescens (an Airborne Bacteria).

If you are an individual with no medical conditions nor do you use any commercial bathroom cleaner, then “Serratia Marcescens” could be the possible cause of the toilet turning pink. This airborne bacteria thrives in moist conditions, which is why it is usually found in the bathroom toilets.

What is Serratia Marcescens?

Serratia Marcescens is a bacteria found naturally in soil, food, and animals. The bacteria thrive on moisture, dust, and phosphates and require almost nothing to survive. Serratia is easily carried in the air and will search a moist place in which to grow. It also feeds off oily compounds such as soap or shampoo remnants.

Serratia Marcescens is most attracted to places like toilet bowls, bathtubs, sink drains, showerheads, and even in your pet’s water bowls. The pink or purple color is caused by the formation of the pigment when the bacteria colonize. The color (how dark or light) is dependent on the room temperature – making the toilet seat discoloration range from light baby pink to dark purplish.

The majority of people face this problem when leaving the windows of the bathroom open. This causes the anaerobic bacteria to enter through the window vents and sit on the moist toilet of your bathroom – forming a pink or purple ring around the inner toilet bowl right above the water line or even on the toilet’s seat.

*Do you know? In ancient times, Serratia Marcescens inspired claims of “miracles”. The red pigmentation on bread in the humid climate was believed to be the blood of Jesus Christ!

2). Hormonal changes might be causing the toilet seat discoloration.

Hormonal shifts are also an essential aspect of this. That’s why the highest percentage of people who reported a purplish-pink toilet seat were pregnant women. The elevated levels of hormones that are present during pregnancy may be the cause of this. So, as the skin interacts with the toilet seat’s coating, it may induce a difference of color. Apart from the toilet seat, one might see colored stains on their white bed sheets and clothes.

When you are pregnant, remember that it will go away as soon as the hormones start to balance. It would also be prudent to notify the gynecologist and inform them about the experience. You may need to get your hormones monitored, particularly if you’re not expecting.

3). Your sweat glands might be secreting some substance that is probably pH-variable.

Are you taking some kind of supplement? If you’re taking prenatal or progesterone or other medical supplements, it might be coming out your skin pores, and just reacting strangely with the toilet seat. Other than the toilet seat, you might notice a slight purple tint on your clothes or bed sheet as well.

Here’s why this happens?

This is attributable to the prenatal supplements, multi-vitamins, or vitamin water you might be consuming. Every person has different responses to this, some people do, some people don’t. When a man or woman takes vitamins/prescription drugs of some kind, this imbalances the natural acidity of their body. As a result, your body starts to excrete vitamins (or too many) through your sweat glands.

This reaction of your skin against other elements is visibly noticeable as a pink or purple tint, especially when you sit down on your white toilet seat or sleep on white bed sheets.

Do you want this to stop?

When a person has so much acid in their bloodstream, their body can often cause things that come into contact with it to either fade or change a pinkish tint. You can purchase acid testing strips and check your saliva in the morning on an empty stomach. This will demonstrate just how acidic your body is.

If it is very strong, aid by drinking lots of water and consume fresh green veggies. This way, you will neutralize the high acidity of your body and maintain an optimal body PH. Don’t panic, this isn’t toxic. It’s just the body telling you are getting too much of something, and it’s trying to sweat out the excess intake through your pores.

4). Your dark-colored jeans or underwear could be the culprit.

Sounds funny, right?

But it has been the case with many people!

Dark-colored jeans or underwear could leave a dye on your butt cheeks and thigh. This dye would transfer on the toilet seat as soon as you sit to do your thing. Therefore, before jumping to any conclusion, make sure you have ruled out this possibility.

5). You could be suffering from Chromhidrosis – sweat glands disorder.

Chromhidrosis is a sweat gland disorder that causes yellow, blue, black, green, or purple colored sweat in people. These colors are due to a pigment called lipofuscin that is formed in the sweat glands. Lipofuscin is common in human cells, but individuals with Chromhidrosis have elevated levels of lipofuscin which causes discoloration of the sweat and body oils.

*People suffering from this sweat glands disorder would possibly also find blue streaks on their skin, clothing, and bed sheets and not only on the toilet seat!

Chromhidrosis can be treated with topical medication, such as applying Capsaicin Cream 0.025% twice a day to the affected area. However, it is best to consult a dermatologist for its cure.

Other reasons include:

Rust or minerals in the water
Discoloration from commercial cleaning chemicals
Substance (soap/lotion/cream) from your bottom

How To Get Rid of Pink Stains From Toilet Seat?

You can or simply can’t get rid of pink stains on the toilet seat. It all depends on the stain’s source. If the tint is shifted from your pant’s dye or other alike sources, it can be easily removed. However, if the purple or pink tint has occurred due to Serratia Marcescens (bacteria) or from your sweat excretion, then you can only prevent it from developing but can’t eliminate it.

Here’s what you can do to remove purplish-pink stains from your toilet seat:

Invest in a good quality toilet bowl cleaner or a disinfectant cleaner with bleach. A regular household bleach would also work well.
Squirt the cleaner on the stained surfaces. Let it sit for a couple of minutes so that it disinfects the surface and fights against the purple tint.
Use a soft bristle brush to gently scrub the affected surface. Avoid exerting too much pressure or using hard brushes, as these could scratch the toilet seats and may remove the protective coating of the toilet.
Flushing toilets that are not frequently used can also help decrease bacterial growth.

Conclusion:

There are several reasons behind your toilet seat turning pink or purple. Different theories include the formation of Serratia Marcescens (bacteria) in the toilet bowl; your sweat glands interacting with the toilet seat’s coating; hormonal changes due to pregnancy; acidic body PH caused due to supplements intake; or simply a dye from your blue jeans.

Why Is Your Toilet Seat Turning Blue? [Reasons + Cleaning Ideas]