How to fix the toilet seat from moving

A loose toilet seat can be dangerous, but it's pretty easy to fix. The seat is usually attached to the toilet bowl with bolts and nuts. Use a screwdriver to tighten these bolts, and you should be able to solve the problem. If your seat is more seriously damaged, then you may consider buying a new toilet seat.

1. 1

   Find the screws and pry up the cover. The back of your toilet seat is usually connected to the toilet with two long screws that run through the porcelain at the back of the bowl. The screws are secured by two nuts underneath. In the front of the cover, look for a small groove that is designed to help you pry up the cover. Then, use a small screwdriver to pry up both the seat and the cover.[1] X Research source Go to source

2. 2

   Center the toilet seat on the toilet. If the seat is loose, then it may wobble back and forth, in and out of alignment with the rim of the toilet bowl. Straighten out the seat so that it rests evenly atop the bowl.[4] X Expert Source

   
   Dave Jones
   Master Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup Expert Interview. 13 December 2021. Go to source Consider sitting down to test it out for comfort.[5] X Research source Go to source

3. 3

   Tighten the bolt. Turn the screwdriver clockwise to tighten. Remember: "righty tighty, lefty loosey." There's usually a nut with a wing attached to prevent the nut from turning. If there isn't, hold the nut with a rag while you tighten the bolt.

   • Decide which screwdriver is the best fit. Make sure that the screwdriver head is big enough to fit into the notches of the bolt head. If the screwdriver is too small, then the bolt will not turn. The friction from the slipping screwdriver will quickly wear down the bolt and make it unusable.
   • You'll have to reach underneath the toilet bowl to grip the nut that holds the screw in place.[6] X Expert Source
     
     Dave Jones
     Master Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup Expert Interview. 13 December 2021. Go to source

4. 4

   Apply tension. If the bolt keeps turning without tightening up, clamp the nut underneath with a small pair of pliers. Clamp onto the end of the nut, and hold it steady as you screw the bolt. Once you have twisted the bolt several times, the wing on the nut should prevent it from turning anymore.

   • To loosen the nut, spray it with WD 40 and wait 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Keep screwing until the seat is tight. When the bolt feels tight, give it one more quarter rotation so it's extra secure. Once the seat does not wobble back and forth, push down the lid. It should click closed.

1. 1

   Consider buying a new toilet seat. If the bolts are damaged or the toilet seat is still loose after you tried tightening it, then you may just want to replace the individual pieces but leave the seat intact. If the body of the seat itself is in poor shape, however, then you may just want to swap it out for the sake of longevity. Look for toilet seats at a local hardware or home-and-garden store.

2. 2

   Know which type of seat you need. There are two standard commercial toilet seat shapes: round and elongated. The round seats are perfectly round, while the "elongated" seats are oblong and egg-shaped. Buy the seat that matches your bowl.

   • Try to find a seat made by the same company that manufactured your toilet to fit it perfectly. Off-brand seats may well do the trick, but they may not fit quite as precisely.
   • Keep in mind that plastic toilet seats are easier to sanitize than wooden seats, and they hold their color for longer.

3. 3

   Install the new seat. You will need to unscrew the old seat, set it aside, and then tighten the new seat onto the bowl. Make sure that the new seat is aligned straight onto the toilet!

   • Save the bolts and nuts from the old seat in case you need to replace a bolt on your new seat.

• Why is my toilet seat loose?

  

  It's possible that the bolts that attach the toilet seat to the toilet bowl rim are loose. They must be tightened to prevent accidents and injuries.

• How do you tighten toilet seat bolts?

  

  First find the right screwdriver type and size and insert it into the bolt heads slots, then reach under the back of the bowl and grip the nut using your fingers or an adjustable wrench. Tighten them one by one, being careful as to not overtighten the bolts and crack or break the porcelain.

• My seat was designed to close slowly. Now, 5 years later, it just slams down. Can I fix it without replacing it?

  No, you'll need to replace it. Toilet seats do wear out. Fortunately, it's an easy replacement.

• The nut I need to screw in is in an awkward place and I can't get good leverage. How can I tighten it?

  First, clamp the nut with vice grips. Then, turn it on top with your screwdriver to tighten it.

• What size deep-pocket wrench should I use?

  You should use either a 9/16 or 1/2 inch deep-pocket wrench to fix a loose toilet seat.

• I have an 'off the floor' toilet, which doesn't give access to the underside. Any ideas?

  It may be held by top-fixing bolts. These may be held in place by a small grub screw at rear of the silver fixing (tiny and difficult to see). You will need to unscrew these first.

• I have a wobbly toilet seat, but the seat is placed on with two l-shaped bolts (with Allen key access) that is too difficult to remove. How can I fix the loose seat?

  You could get a set of allen keys and have someone else try to tighten the seat. If you'd rather 'jerry-rig' a solution, you could try adding some rubber washers (making a cut in them so you can get them around the bolts) or squirting something around the bolts that will harden as it dries, like caulk or glue.

• I'm trying to tighten a bolt on my toilet and it won't tighten. It just keeps turning.

  There is a nut that holds the screw where it protrudes beneath the toilet lid. Use a pair of pliers to clamp this nut while you tighten the screw. This should provide enough tension to make the bolt tight!

• I bought a toilet seat with plastic bolts and screwed it on as tight as it can go. After a few months, it's moving. How can I fix this without replacing the seat?

  Buy some new bolts that are made out of metal at your local hardware store and replace the plastic bolts. Take the plastic ones with you to measure for the right size.

• How can I keep the seat from sliding to one side?

  Tighten the bolts that hold the seat to the bowl; they are loose. It's a simple fix.

• Large screwdriver
• Small screwdriver
• Small pair of pliers

Co-authored by:

Master Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

This article was co-authored by Dave Jones. Dave Jones is a Professional Plumber and the Midwest Regional Vice President at Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup. In 1992, Jones joined Roto-Rooter as a drain service technician at the age of 18. Since then, he has risen through the ranks into positions of increasing authority. Dave served as general manager of Roto-Rooter’s Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia branches before being promoted to Contractor Area Manager and later to Regional Vice President. Dave holds Master Plumber Licenses in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia. This article has been viewed 408,104 times.

Co-authors: 14

Updated: December 14, 2021

Views: 408,104

Article Rating: 100% - 5 votes

Categories: Toilet Repairs

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