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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. To deter a sliding seat, you can remove the seat and place a patch of 2-sided tape like a square washer with a hole in the center in between the seat mount through the bolt and onto the toilet rim. Coupled with unfortunate timing, a toilet seat that won’t stay up often causes a mess as well—and that, in turn, can cause friction between members of the household. I have an 'off the floor' toilet, which doesn't give access to the underside. Any ideas? You may need to gently hammer the plugs in place. To loosen the nut, spray it with WD 40 and wait 5 minutes. This causes it to move, wobble or rock when in use. The seat is usually attached to the toilet bowl with bolts and nuts. Insert the screw back in the holes. The nut will push the washer into the hole, securing the bolt and stopping the seat from slipping. Manufacturers make these washers specifically for this purpose. It's a 15-minute fix that'll last for years. Changing your loose seat can be a hassle when there is no easy access to the toilet seat fixings at the underside of the ceramic. Steady Seat fixes that loose toilet seat quickly and easily, with no need for tools. First, clamp the nut with vice grips. Over the course of time the toilet seat works loose. Look at the front of the toilet is it round or egg shaped (elongated). Here’s how: Locate the two screws which hold the toilet seat in place: These are usually at the back of the toilet seat. Can I fix it without replacing it? Permanent Fix for Loose Toilet Seat The problem with toilet seat hardware is that the holes in the china bowl are a bit oversize for the two bolts that secure the seat, allowing the seat to move around a bit in use. The flapper or float ball seats against the valve opening and keeps water in the tank until the flush handle is operated. 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. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. I noticed it has 2 plastic screws holding the seat down. There is a nut that holds the screw where it protrudes beneath the toilet lid. Using the tool provided in the kit, slide a washer from the toilet-seat tightening kit onto the hinge bolt, underneath the toilet. Some toilet seats have a double fitting where you have to attach the long screw first to the seat, tighten hard, and then attach it to the porcelain bowl with a nut. The toilet seat on the first toilet seems to be working o.k., but the toilet seat on the second one keeps … When your toilet seat won’t stay up and keeps slamming down, it can be startling and painful for users. You may crack the porcelain. Try to find a seat made by the same company that manufactured your toilet to. What would prevent the seat on my toilet from becoming loose so often? Probably the easiest fix, your loose toilet may simply be due to your loose toilet mounting bolts needing to be tightened. If it's metal, continue tightening it with adjustable pliers. Remove the nut and bolt and take the seat off the bowl. Temporarily reinstall the seat and lid by pressing them back down onto the hinge pins. If you just want to replace the seat completely, remember that there are only two types of toilet seats: round and elongated. Tighten the bolts that hold the seat to the bowl; they are loose. Most toilets, however, use steel screws, and more expensive models may even use brass or stainless steel. If you need instructions, then this article has some good tips on how to fix a loose toilet seat with no access. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. That leads to leaks and major repairs. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 331,130 times. Amid the current public health and economic crises, when the world is shifting dramatically and we are all learning and adapting to changes in daily life, people need wikiHow more than ever. My seat was designed to close slowly. As a landscape builder, he helped establish two gardening companies. ... Center up the toilet seat and reinstall the nuts,—don’t overtighten—and this oughta keep that toilet seat from working itself into a wobbly hazard, and prevent you from ending up on the floor one day. If your seat is more seriously damaged, then you may consider buying a new toilet seat. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Take the plastic ones with you to measure for the right size. Chris Deziel has a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in humanities. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. You can keep the bolts secure by packing the holes with special washers. Toilet seats do wear out. Lower the seat and locate the two screw covers at the back of the seat. These are usually at the back of the toilet seat. Replace the hinge-bolt nut and tighten it into place. Flip up the plastic caps at the seat-bolts with a screwdriver to expose the slotted heads of each toilet-seat bolt. Slide the toilet seat back onto the bolts at the back of the toilet bowl. Take the screws with you to find the best fit. How can I fix this without replacing the seat? After it is centered, turn your screwdriver clockwise to tighten the bolt into place. Some seats come with "centering" nuts, (kind of conical looking). The screws are secured by two nuts underneath. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. We purchased 1 new Kohler higher elongated toilet last spring and another one in the summer. If you have a broken bolt already, you can buy generic plastic ones at the hardware store. Then, turn it on top with your screwdriver to tighten it. After a few months, it's moving. If I tighten the screw too tightly, can I break the toilet? Remove the backing from a pair of adhesive washers and slide one along the end of each bolt until it makes contact with the bowl. Close the seat and lid, and align them with the front and sides of the bowl. Buy some new bolts that are made out of metal at your local hardware store and replace the plastic bolts. If the seat or bolts are damaged, you may need to go to the hardware store to replace these parts. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. Put the flat-head screwdriver in the screw slot and hold it steady while you unscrew the nut from underneath the bowl. Then use the tightening tool from the kit to snug up the nut. You’ll see a nut, and it should be unmovable with your fingers. % of people told us that this article helped them. What should I do? To steady a rocking toilet, cut plastic shims to fit and slip them underneath (you may have to remove caulk before adding shims). A sliding toilet seat is one such problem. Then caulk around the toilet and snug down the nuts on the bolts. I'm trying to tighten a bolt on my toilet and it won't tighten. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. How can I tighten it? In cheap toilets, the screws are made of plastic. And we do tighten, repeatedly, it's just that I don't want to have to keep getting down and personal with my toilet seat screws every few days. Well, fix that loose toilet seat once and for all. 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. Now, 5 years later, it just slams down. Then, use a small screwdriver to pry up both the seat and the cover. The Vitra toilet seat and lid is meant to be attached with long screws but the bolts supplied are too big to go through the holes at the rear of my toilet. You should be able to find them at a hardware store. It's fairly new. This article has been viewed 331,130 times. Once you get them off, replace them with new ones. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Tighten the screws, remove the seat, put the hinge caps back on, and reinstall the seat and lid. A rubbery washer against the porcelain also improves grip and prevents slide (hard glossy plastic washers are not so good). The friction from the slipping screwdriver will quickly wear down the bolt and make it unusable. This one however the toilet / ceramic is sealed with no access to the underside. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Save the bolts and nuts from the old seat in case you need to replace a bolt on your new seat. Cover, look for a small groove that is designed to help you pry up both seat... Cistern forward very slightly, ( kind of conical looking ) time will naturally move to one side on. 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