There really is nothing worse than spotting stubborn stains lurking at the bottom of your toilet bowl.

Even if you spend hours scrubbing and leaving bleach in your loo for hours, sometimes those stains simply won't budge.

Rather than spending more time scrubbing or investing in expensive products, a bathroom expert at Victorian Plumbing, Alex Woods, has shared a surprising hack that will leave your toilet bowl "sparkling".

One of the most common reasons for toilet bowl stains is limescale. Limescale is caused by hard water, which contains minerals like calcium and magnesium.

When the water evaporates, the minerals get left behind, which causes those unsightly stains to appear.

Most experts recommend using vinegar to banish limescale but this isn't always effective in toilets where there is a high water content.

Instead, Alex suggested using dishwasher tablets. He said: “Dishwasher tablets contain powerful enzymes that break down grease, grime, and limescale, making them a small, yet powerful, cleaning hack for your bathroom."

This makes dishwasher tablets ideal for removing unpleasant stains from toilet bowls. Alex explained how to use a dishwasher tablet to remove limescale from your toilet.

He said: "Simply drop a dishwasher tablet directly in the bowl and let it dissolve for around 20 minutes, allowing it to break down mineral deposits, stains, and bacteria.

"Once dissolved, use a toilet brush to scrub the sides of the bowl and flush the solution away once done. This should leave the bowl looking sparkling clean and fresh.”

Dishwasher tablets can be bought from most supermarkets or online but can also be found in homes up and down the country.

House 24/7 Dishwasher Tabs cost £1.49 for 30 tablets from Sainsbury's and Tesco's All-In-One Dishwasher Tablets cost £3.56 for 40 tablets.

Alex also said dishwasher tablets can be used to remove any unpleasant smells from plug holes.

"Placing a tablet in the plug hole and pouring over hot water helps stop any smells from the pipes that may still be lingering in the drains," he said.