Changing a toilet seat is a quick and easy DIY project that can instantly update the look and comfort of your bathroom. With just a few tools and a few minutes, you can replace your old seat with a new one.
Let’s be real, today’s project might not be the most glamorous DIY out there, but it’s one that every homeowner should have in their toolkit—changing out toilet seats. Yep, I’m talking about swapping out your old toilet seat for a new seat, and trust me, it’s a beginner task that anyone can do!
I usually recommend changing out the existing toilet seat when you move into a new home. It’s a good idea to start fresh and get a replacement toilet seat. It’s hygienic, and kinda nice, to have brand new ones for your family! Here’s a list of other tasks to accomplish when you move into a new home.
When our kids were potty training, we installed these cool potty training seats with a built-in small seat on top. Now that the potty training days are behind us (thank goodness!), it was time to update the seat in our first-floor bathroom—the one all our guests use. Let’s just say, the old one had definitely seen better days!
Choose The Right Toilet Seat Size
First thing, make sure you take the correct measurements so you can buy the right size toilet seat. Before I headed to the store, I took a quick measurement of the length of the toilet bowl. There are two main types of toilet seat sizes—round bowl or elongated bowl.
Honestly, you can usually tell just by looking at the shape of your toilet bowl. But if you want to play it safe, and avoid a return trip to the store, grab a tape measure and measure from the screws at the back of the toilet seat to the front.
- Round Toilet Bowl: About 16.5 inches
- Elongated (or Oblong) Toilet Bowl: About 18.5 inches
The width of toilet seats can vary, but probably not enough to affect the fit on your toilet. It might feel a little narrow or wide, but it won’t mess with the functionality. So you can often tell just from the toilet seat shape.
After measuring my toilet, I realized I needed a round seat. So, I headed to Home Depot and went straight to the plumbing section to check out the options.
Since I don’t plan on changing this seat anytime soon, I decided to go for a nicer option that was around $42. They do have cheaper options (like $10), but I figured spending a little more was an easy way to slightly upgrade the bathroom without breaking the bank.
Here’s a link to the exact toilet seat I chose. I love it because it has a soft-close feature and can be easily removed for cleaning. I went with white to match the toilet, but there are plenty of color options to choose from if you want to switch things up.
Then, it’s just a matter of grabbing a few basic tools to get the old one off and the new one on.
How To Change Your Toilet Seat
Remove Your Old Seat
Once you’ve got your new toilet seat ready to go, it’s time to remove the old toilet seat. Every toilet seat is a bit different, but typically they have bolts that go through bolt holes in the top of the toilet bowl. They’re then secured by nuts underneath the toilet.
You can use an adjustable wrench to loosen the nuts, which is typically the trickiest part of the whole project. The nuts are usually located underneath the back of the toilet seat, making it a bit awkward to reach, especially in tight spaces. But don’t worry, with some patience, it’s still a fairly straightforward job.
I highly recommend investing in a toilet seat nut wrench for this job. It slides right up over the top of the bolts and nuts, allowing you to loosen them easily without scraping your knuckles on the toilet. It’s a handy $10 tool that has saved me time on several quicker DIY jobs around the house, especially with plumbing projects.
If the nuts are really old and stuck, you can use some WD-40 to loosen them up.
Once the nuts are off, you can lift the old toilet seat up and out of place. Be sure to check for any plastic caps or hinge covers you might need to pop off first.
Clean Your Toilet
Once that old toilet seat is off, it’s time to tackle the grime that’s been hiding under the bolt caps and plastic covers. Grab your heavy-duty cleaner and a scrub brush, and get ready to clean those hard-to-reach areas around the toilet rim and mounting bolts. Trust me, you’ll be amazed (and maybe a little grossed out) by the gunk that accumulates in those impossible-to-clean spots.
Giving your toilet a deep clean before installing the new fittings will make everything feel extra fresh. Plus, you’ll be getting rid of any harmful germs that might have been lurking around the old bolts. Make sure to finish up with some anti-bacterial spray to disinfect the area thoroughly.
Install The New Toilet Seat
With the old seat out and your toilet sparkling clean, it’s time to install the new style seat. Each replacement toilet seat may come with slightly different instructions, but here’s how mine went:
My seat came with a hardware kit which included two metal bolts and two plastic nuts. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, I inserted the mounting bolts through the seat’s hinges at the back of the toilet seat, making sure they aligned with the bolt holes on the top of the bowl. Once the seat was positioned properly on the bowl, I secured it by attaching the plastic nuts underneath.
To tighten the bolts, I held the wing nuts underneath the toilet and used a flathead screwdriver on the top of the screws to secure everything in place. The whole installation process only took a matter of minutes.
As you tighten everything down, make sure the seat stays centered on the toilet. Otherwise, you might end up with a loose toilet seat or one that’s slightly off-kilter when you go to use it. Trust me, a crooked seat is never fun!
How Do I Fix A Wiggly Toilet Seat?
Maybe your toilet seat doesn’t need a full replacement, but it’s gotten a bit wobbly and could use some TLC. The good news? Fixing a loose toilet seat is a super quick, 30-second fix!
All you have to do is open up the hinge covers (or hinges, depending on your toilet model) and use a flathead screwdriver to tighten the toilet seat bolts. Make sure the seat stays centered while you’re doing this to avoid a crooked fit.
And that’s it—no more living with a wobbly or wiggly toilet seat! Just a fairly straightforward job that makes a big difference in your bathroom experience.
Go Forth and Change Your Toilet Seats!
You know you’re officially a dorky homeowner when changing toilet seats gets you excited! But honestly, it makes a big difference. I’m loving the soft close feature on this model, and it’s incredibly easy to clean. So if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to upgrade your bathroom, definitely consider replacing your old toilet seat.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll be weirdly happy every time you walk into your bathroom and see that fresh new seat in place. Trust me—it’s a simple step that will leave you feeling accomplished!
P.S. This is one of the 13 basic DIY skills that I recommend every homeowner know how to do. Can you do the other 12?