Porcelain is very easy to clean. Plastic tend to form a lot of small cracks for dirt to enter and the dirt might even get in between the plastic molecules. So you can not really clean plastic that well. However porcelain forms a very smooth and hard surface where dirt have a very hard time clinging on. In most cases just rinsing it with water is enough to make the toilet completely free of dirt and germs.

Because porcelain is like glass, almost nothing will scratch it, nothing will really stick to it, it won't absorb oders and it won't change color over time. Oh ya and it's pretty cheap.

Have you ever used an outdoor plastic toilet (porta-potty)?

Plastic is not as durable as porcelain and starts to break down earlier. Also plastic can soak up smells - not the ideal thing when you're talking about a device that literally handles fecal matter and urine!!

Stainless steel is another material that is commonly used in certain commercial toilets.

You know how plastic Tupperware containers often stain from leftovers? Well imaging what plastic being a toilet would look like…

Porcelain is much more durable, and easier to clean as well.

Granted, it does shatter, but then plastic deforms, so maybe we call that a wash.

This is nonsense, a ceramic toilet seat will last ages. Don't buy plastic toilet seats.

My Kohler seat has a quick release. It's amazing to have with a potty training boy.

While not BI4L, our Topseat brand seat bought on Amazon has held up beautifully for the past 4 years. It's from their 'Art of Acryl' series.

Just because quick release: bullseat. They're generally very good quality, have been using mine for 6 years with no issues. You might want to tighten the anchor points after some time though. Or just completely uninstall, clean the mount holes and reinstall.

I would like to strongly recommend against this. Porcelain has a lot of advantages that make it easier to clean and generally more durable than stainless steel. The advantage of stainless is that it can't easily be shattered to make shivs, but I assume that's not a major concern for your home. However, stainless is weak to bleach (comet, ajax, etc), which can make it rust.

I have seen a porcelain combo sink/toilet though, so maybe considet that?

It's the perfect material. It's the best combination of durable, non-stick, and you can use tons of different chemicals and abrasives to clean it. Basically, any pores in the material are so darned small that nothing can really get into those pores.

Prison toilets are stainless steel. Which is probably one reason they won't catch on outside of prison, people think of steel toilets as prison toilets. If prisons hadn't gotten so associated with it, it would probably be an option. Albeit, a cold one in the winter.

My travel trailers toilets are plastic

We have an unfinished basement with a "half bath" in the corner. I wanted to get the prison toilet/seat set up last time we had to swap the toilet out but got vetoed. They make more aesthetically appealing versions of sink on top of the bowl in ceramic too. 

There’s that 18k gold toilet still out there somewhere, right?

Ceramic is generally less expensive than stainless steel, and more expensive than plastic.

Ceramic tends to be used for homes because it's durable enough (less than steel, more than plastic), but is extremely scratch resistant compared to stainless.

Also, stainless is literally stain....less; It's not completely rust proof unlike ceramic.

Try something stronger than vinegar, like Lime-Away or CLR. You may need more than one application.

I know you don't want to use a Magic Eraser, but it is not abrasive enough to scratch that surface.

I solved the problem.

I used muriatic acid. About 1 cup poured into the bowl, and then lined the bowl sides with toilet paper and wetted it with the acid/water mixture.

After about an hour I flushed as it’s clean as new.

I have literally never had this happen to a toilet seat that wasn’t wooden...

I’m not passing judgement, I’m mostly responding to follow the thread.

Never had the toilet seat crack but ours is developing some really weird rough patches and I don't understand why. I've been thinking that wood would probably be the best choice but I haven't looked up prices.

https://thetoiletzone.com/best-toilet-seats-heavy-people/

Prison decor is definitely BIFL.

I suggest you try dieting.

Pop a couple of denture cleaner tablets in the bowl and let sit for 10 minutes then clean. It works, it got rid of the limescale on the bottom of my toilet bowl

Try CLR. Then go back over with a pumice stone if this is still there.

Citric acid works well for limescale

Does it come off if you scrape it with your fingernail?

If it were me, because I'm nuts, I'd replace the toilet no matter what because other people used it. But that's me because I'm cuckoo.

Abrasives like a pumice stone will leave scratches that will then stain easier.

The cleaning professional in me would first try bleach because that's what I have a lot of on hand.

If that didn't work I'd try hydrochloric/muriatic acid in an empty bowl.

BUT, and this is a big but, DO NOT use bleach and acid together, make sure you completely rinse any bleach you may have tried before the acid.

Also, open a window when using acid and do not use a brush or anything that could splash the acid on you. It won't kill you but it will tingle.

And wear safety glasses.

I don’t see the point in replacing it. If it’s not broke don’t fix it

Is it leaking?

I would definitely take a shit in it.

It's gotta go

Google image search "cracked toilet injuries" if you need any additional convincing to replace it. Toilets are a cheap easy fix, definitely worth doing sooner rather than later.

I had really bad hard water stains in my toilet..and I mean horrible. Use ZEP Acidic Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Use white vinegar or a commercial lime remover to tackle hard water stains. Let it sit, scrub with a toilet brush, and repeat if necessary for a sparkling clean toilet bowl

You can dip a sand paper into a mixture of powdered detergent and some liquid bleach and start sanding the area that you want to clean. Watch this

https://youtu.be/20sbpOYps2c

I suggest Cs Cleaner, watch this video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2MC2ENo8uzI

CLR toilet cleaner works well on this. After applying in the bowl and under the lip, let it sit for an hour or so then use a toilet brush. You may have to do this a few days in a row if it’s heavily calcified.

See, that's what the US Navy should have said when Congress inquired about the $600 toilet seats

I don't approve of your toilet humour