# Why did my toilet seat turn blue? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 1, 2014, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049 "2014-12-01T17:11:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/21 "2014-12-01T22:53:48Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > I’ve no idea, but I love the retro tile on your floor. It’s not only “retro,” it’s the original 1936 tile. You would love the whole house. Here’s the [kitchen](http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab72/EveOz/kitchen.jpg)before I moved in. The whole house was restored and lived in by an architect and his family, who now rent it to me. (They outgrew the 1,200 sq ft.). All glass doorknobs. They hunted down the onyx drawer pulls in the kitchen and bathroom. It’s a perfect little jewel box of a house. > [@DSeid](#): > > C’mon, let’s at least generate some hypotheses here! > \…3) The blue chemical from that flush tab vaporizes and collects prefentially where there has been skin or sweat contact or has been warmer? The Clorox Blue bleach tabs use [Acid Blue 9](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brilliant_Blue_FCF) and likely whatever our op has is similar. This makes some sense. > [@yoyodyne](#): > > New pair of blue jeans? Actually yes. But I generally pull them down when I’m using the throne. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/22 "2014-12-01T23:16:49Z")
Another alternative … the same blue coloring is used in multiple soap and shampoo products. Perhaps it is in some product that is on your skin when you sit there after showering? That would fit the pattern being larger than your butt print would be with overflow of the edges. Check your shampoos for what coloring agents are there. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/23 "2014-12-01T23:17:38Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Actually yes. But I generally pull them down when I’m using the throne. They’ve already made your ass blue, which then transfers to the seat. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/24 "2014-12-01T23:17:48Z")
I wouldn’t worry about. It’ll only happen once in a Blue Moon. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/25 "2014-12-01T23:19:48Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > They’ve already made your ass blue, which then transfers to the seat. As I said before: EEK!! ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/26 "2014-12-01T23:19:55Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > They’ve already made your ass blue, which then transfers to the seat. I suspect she wears underwear. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/27 "2014-12-01T23:37:31Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > I suspect she wears underwear. Not in evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/28 "2014-12-02T00:00:34Z")
There is another remote possibility, but its Really Rude. Q: Is there _any chanc_e that your cleaning person, in order to save money, has been ingesting dog food? [spoiler]IAMS Blue…! :eek: Badda-dee, Badda-dah! Badda-dee, Badda-dah! Badda-dee, Badda-dah…! [/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/29 "2014-12-02T03:25:49Z")
Okay - [an industry source](http://www.toiletseats.com/customer-service/frequently-asked-questions/) about staining of toilet seats: > [@](#): > > … Most cleaners used in bathrooms are harsh and abrasive. Stay away from cleaning wipes, toilet bowl cleaners or cleaning products that contain bleach, aerosols, vinegar, essential oils or abrasives. When these agents have been used, staining can occur. > Toilet bowl cleaners can also cause staining. When cleaning your toilet bowl with cleaner, it is important to leave the seat in an upright position to avoid splashing the cleaner onto the seat, and to avoid fumes. > Certain medications can also be a factor in the staining of your seat. When these medications are flushed through a person’s system through urine or sweat, it can cause staining. > Once staining has occurred from any of these causes, it cannot be removed … I am doubting the medications bit for a blue tinge but can certainly see sweat and various skin care products being oily and/or acidic enough to make a portion of the seat more porous than the rest of it and that being enough for an aerosolized fine mist from a toilet bowl cleaning product being flushed down to gradually cause staining. Our op can test this (and solve an internet wide mystery) by treating an unstained test patch of the seat with some vinegar for say 30 minutes, wiping it off, and then wiping some of the toilet bowl diluted cleaning product across the seat in both the treated and untreated areas. If a stain similar in color to the blue tush shadow is created to a much greater degree in the treated area we have our answer! ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/30 "2014-12-02T03:28:42Z")
Try cleaning it with rubbing alcohol. If the blue comes off on the cloth/paper towel report back and I will give you the answer. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/31 "2014-12-02T04:34:05Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > **I’ll bet that of all the zillions of topics and questions that have been covered on the SDMB, this is a first.** > > One day a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that [my toilet seat had turned blue.](http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab72/EveOz/toiletSeat_zps902135c3.jpg) The blue IRL is a little darker than it appears in the picture. As already noted, a google search turns up hits all over the place. And yes, [it’s even been done on SDMB too](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=15576). ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/32 "2014-12-02T04:39:51Z")
You know, that looks like a buttprint on the seat. Are your cheeks blue too? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/33 "2014-12-02T12:45:09Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > As already noted, a google search turns up hits all over the place. > > And yes, [it’s even been done on SDMB too](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=15576). And yet apparently never really _answered_ except with WAGs that don’t seem to test out … no not only pregnant women, no not only women, no not sitting with blue jeans, no blue jeans dye on skin does not explain it … Maybe I’ll buy one of those Corox tabs to test my hypothesis myself. Again, _many_ toilet cleaning products have that blue dye agent and toilet water aerosolizes some upon flushing, settling on the seat some and some on surrounding areas. Sweat is acidic (down to a pH of 4.5 in some individuals under some circumstances) and acid makes toilet seats susceptible to staining. Cleansers on skin from the shower may also be abrasive enough to make an area of skin contact more stain susceptible. The key is to test if a stain caused by mild acid or abrasive treatment of a toilet seat does both make that area particularly stain susceptible and if the dye applied in toilet water dilute concentrations results in that color of staining when applied to a seat so treated. This is Straight Dope people … let’s reduce some ignorance! ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/34 "2014-12-02T13:28:01Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > As already noted, a google search turns up hits all over the place. > > And yes, [it’s even been done on SDMB too](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=15576). But(t) not since 2000. > [@psychobunny](#): > > Try cleaning it with rubbing alcohol. If the blue comes off on the cloth/paper towel report back and I will give you the answer. In the interests of being truly _scientifical_, I tried several solvents that I found in the bathroom. Report: Witch hazel- no effect Hydrogen peroxide - no effect Rubbing alcohol - color did come off on cotton pad, but only slightly, implying that if I watched a complete series like, say, _The Sopranos_ on my kindle while rubbing the seat with alcohol, it might all come off by the last episode. What does it mean, **Psychobunny**? ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/35 "2014-12-02T15:51:32Z")
Pregnant women tend to buy new clothes, including new jeans. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/36 "2014-12-02T16:32:53Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I do have a [blue water/bleach tab thing](https://www.clorox.com/products/clorox-automatic-toilet-bowl-cleaner-bleach-and-blue/) in the tank. Actually it’s half blue and half white and when I flush, the water turns blue and then quickly turns clear again, which is also a mystery–where does the blue go?–but a mystery for another day (unless someone sees a connection). Not that it has any connection to the blue seat, but the reason the water runs blue, then white, is that flushing is a two stage process. Before you flush, the tank is full of water that has been turned blue by the clorox tab which is soaking in it. When you pull the handle, a large flapper opens and lets all the water in the tank quickly run into the bowl, flushing down anything in there. This typically takes 2-3 seconds. Then, the flapper valve closes, and the tank begins to refill. But part of the water refilling the tank is redirected to the tank overflow tube to fill the bowl - otherwise the bowl would stay empty, and allow sewer gases back into your house. Since this water never goes through the tank itself and is never in contact with the bleach tab, it’s clear. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/37 "2014-12-02T17:01:01Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > Pregnant women tend to buy new clothes, including new jeans. I had my last period in March 1999. (TMI) > [@muldoonthief](#): > > Not that it has any connection to the blue seat, but the reason the water runs blue, then white, is that flushing is a two stage process. Before you flush, the tank is full of water that has been turned blue by the clorox tab which is soaking in it. When you pull the handle, a large flapper opens and lets all the water in the tank quickly run into the bowl, flushing down anything in there. This typically takes 2-3 seconds. Then, the flapper valve closes, and the tank begins to refill. But part of the water refilling the tank is redirected to the tank overflow tube to fill the bowl - otherwise the bowl would stay empty, and allow sewer gases back into your house. Since this water never goes through the tank itself and is never in contact with the bleach tab, it’s clear. I love knowing stuff like this. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/38 "2014-12-02T17:06:50Z")
Not our toilet seat (which is oak), but Mr Boods has noticed a heck of a lot of blue stains all over the tub, sink, and bathroom flooring – mostly because I’ve taken to dyeing my hair with indigo. It makes a change from the place looking like an abbatoir after I’ve dyed with henna, tho. It does mean the cat has had blue feet for the past week, as he does like to jump into the tub while I’m taking a shower. (Indigo over henna prevents the clown orange shade that you get with henna even on light brown hair). ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/39 "2014-12-02T17:20:45Z")
I’m kind of partial to this theory that was on one of the links from the aforementioned google search: “After much Googling my theory is that the ionized silver anti-microbial coating on the toilet seats is being turned into silver salts by sweat during pregnancy (Probably by higher acidity caused by sweating out something: excess proteins, vitamin supplements, etc.). These silver salts are then exposed to light as in a gelatin silver print and over an hour or so are resulting in an even deposit of microscopic deposits of silver as a film across the seat. The process being similar to what happens in argyria, a blue-grey pigmentation of the skin caused by absorption of silver into the body. The microscopic deposits of silver will not return to their prior state and are not going to be bleached away. You would have to use acid so they are likely to be there for good. For non silver anti-microbials there is a dye called bromophenol blue which is a absorbed by some of the coatings but I prefer the silver deposit theory as I suspect silver anti-microbials are more common on toilet seats.” **ThelmaLou** , are you taking any supplements like B vitamins or multivitamins? a lot of the posts seem to refer to this as well as being pregnant. If this is correct, you are basically [cyanotyping](http://www.alternativephotography.com/wp/processes/cyanotype/cyanotype-classic-processhttp://) your butt! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049/40 "2014-12-02T17:50:55Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > **ThelmaLou** , are you taking any supplements like B vitamins or multivitamins? a lot of the posts seem to refer to this as well as being pregnant. > If this is correct, you are basically [cyanotyping](http://www.alternativephotography.com/wp/processes/cyanotype/cyanotype-classic-processhttp://) your butt! 😃 Not taking any vitamins per se, although I do take some supplements. I’m going for the pregnancy theory in spite of being 15 years post-menopausal and not having carnally known man for a looooong time. When it turns out that I’m pregnant, I’m calling the Smithsonian and claiming my 15 minutes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-toilet-seat-turn-blue/706049.md?page=3)