Changing a toilet seat seems like the most awkward thing to do. But it is pretty simple and can be achieved in less than 30 minutes once you know how to change a toilet seat easily.
When the time is nigh for you to change your toilet seat, you should bear it in mind that you can do it yourself. There are easy and simple ways to remove an old toilet seat and replace it with a new one. But you should bear in mind that changing toilet seats are not all glitzy or glamorous.
Removing a toilet seat is a frustrating experience, on the other hand, to fix a loose toilet seat is an easy job. Sometimes the bolts that hold the seats are so corroded that they cannot be unscrewed.
But you can’t survive without a good quality toilet for a single day. There are simple steps that can help one remove a toilet seat and also fit a toilet seat correctly. Before beginning the project, it is good to always get the necessary tools as this will save you time.
Required Tools:
Safety glasses, a ratchet set, drill, a 4 in 1 screwdriver, deep good socket, and a penetrating lubricant.
Steps On How to Change a Toilet Seat
- Step 1- Choosing a Seat
The first thing to do is pick a seat which suits your needs. Take the measurement of the old toilet seat or bowl, also take the measurement of the bolt mounting center so as to get a replacement that will fit.
Most modern toilets have a standard spacing and size of the mounting holes and width of the toilet seat. You should know if your toilet seat is oblong or round as this is also important.
The next thing to do after knowing your right toilet size is to pick the seat itself. There are several options to choose from. Any seats will be suitable for you as long as you have a standard toilet.
Toilet seats are made and designed with different varieties of material. They include real wood, cushioned vinyl, polypropylene, molded wood, and plastic. These are the common toilet seats.
When you go shopping for a toilet seat you should be on the lookout for a long lifespan toilet seat. Most toilet seat manufacturers have their lifespan marked on the body of the seat.
In most cases you may not find the estimated lifespan marked on the body, you should note these few points, polypropylene and plastic seats tend to last longer and are the most durable seats. On the other hand cushioned vinyl seats are prone to rips and are least durable.
Choose a nice color which will go with your decor. The most common colors are ivory and white and are the easiest to find. Keep in mind that toilet seats also have varieties of colors ranging from green to black. They even come with different patterns like seashells design on them.
Another thing to consider is choosing a safer toilet. To prevent a lid from slamming hard on the seat, choose a slow close toilet. They are specially designed for this purpose, they are a quieter and safer option.
Nowadays there are special featured toilet seats where you can get heated surfaces, deodorizers, warm water streams, warm air drying. One thing to note is that these luxury seats require electric supply in order to use these features.
- Step 2- Remove a toilet seat
The bolts used to secure the seat should be unscrewed. Plastic bolts or nuts come off easily because they cannot corrode. Open the seat cover to show the bolt’s head. Using a screwdriver unscrew the bolt while you are still holding the nut with a plier underneath.
For metal bolts, first, use a lubricant on the nut. If the bolt won’t come off, make use of safety glasses while you use a drill bit collection to drill a 1/16 inch hole. Drill more holes using the ⅛ inch bit then use the 3/16 inch bit to weaken the bolt for it to break off.
Metal seat bolts can also be removed using a socket wrench which is equipped with a deep well socket. The ½ inch socket fits the bolts and grips it tightly.
What to do next is to turn the nut counterclockwise. Twist the nut as hard as you can. This causes the corroded steel to break off.
In the case where the nut won’t come off, use a penetrating lubricant on it. 15 minutes after spraying the lubricant, try to get the nut off again.
- Step 3 – Fit the toilet seat correctly
After removing the toilet seat by unscrewing or using a socket wrench, once the screw comes off simply lift the toilet seat off the ground and discard it. Always be careful while lifting the seat, because in the case of a fall the seat may break thus causing a serious injury.
Once the seat is discarded, clean the area beneath the bolt since it was hidden and rarely gets clean. Wash the area using a bathroom cleaner. If there is mold or rust in the area use a toilet cleaner which is designed to clean these conditions.
Use only the best toilet bowl stain remover, to clean it frustration-free. After thoroughly washing the area, allow it to dry. Failure to allow the place to dry could cause mildew or mold to grow beneath the bolts when you install a new seat.
Ensure that you first remove the adhesive pads on the seat and the cover sheets from the pads before you fit the toilet seat in its position.
Carefully place the new toilet seat on top of the area where you just cleaned. The adhesive pads help secure the seat on top of the bowl.
Secure the seat with bolts after placing the seat on top of the bowl. Put the new bolts into the mounting holes on the toilet and in the seat and wind the bolts into place. On each end of the bolt, attach the new nuts as well using a wrench, tighten the nuts to stay in place.
Also, ensure that the protective plastic covers are put back in place over the bolt heads after the seat has been properly fixed. Changing a toilet seat is as simple as this. Watch the video tutorial on how to change a toilet seat.
On a side note, if you are considering having a new toilet, consider buying the best TOTO toilet and buy the seat along with it.
