Today I’m sharing how to install a slow close toilet seat cover. You’ll save big bucks over hiring someone to change one, and won’t have that awful bang noise when someone flings the seat down.
I stood in the small bath downstairs in the North House, trying to figure out where to start. Paint? Decor? Scrubbing off the unidentified goo that dripped down the wall? Or…the one thing I could do in a few minutes, that had to be addressed, the off colored toilet seat that constantly banged when the seat was lowered. Mind you, this wasn’t on the top of my fun DIY list, but I couldn’t justify paying someone to do a task so simple that I could do for under $25.
You can change out an old worn or wrong colored commode seat and install a slow close toilet seat yourself. You’ve got this! It’s really easy and can be done in about 15 minutes.
How To Change A Toilet Seat And Install A Slow Close Toilet Seat
Install a slow close toilet seat with these simple items below. I use affiliate links to help you find the supplies I used.
- elongated slow close toilet seat or round toilet seat
- flat head and Phillips head screwdrivers
- disinfectant and cleaning rags
Pick the right toilet seat size
Step one: Pick the right size toilet seat replacement. Measure the width and length of the current seat. You’ll need to know whether you have a universal or elongated toilet seat. A typical toilet seat is 14″ to 14 1/2″ wide. A typical elongated seat is 18″ to 19″ inches long and a round seat is 16″ to 17″ long. The picture below is an elongated seat. The bolt distance is pretty standard on all toilets.
Remove the toilet seat
Step two: Flip the top of the two bolt covers up with a flat head screwdriver. Spray some disinfectant cleaner and give it a quick wipe down. Yuck! Use the screwdriver to unscrew the bolts. This toilet seat cover had plastic bolt heads on the underside. I held them with my fingers to prevent the entire screw from turning. It was a little awkward trying to hold the bolt and unscrew the bolt but it didn’t take strength.
Step three: Take the old parts off and wipe down the area.
Put on the new toilet seat
Step 4: Read the simple direction that come with your replacement commode seat. The toilet seat cover I used had a gasket that I put into the bolt well.
Step 5: Position the replacement toilet seat cover onto the toilet and attach with the included screws.
Step 6: Snap the bolt covers closed by pushing them down until they snap close.
That’s it! It’s so easy to change an old toilet seat cover to a slow close toilet seat cover. If you have an old and worn commode seat or a different color seat like this one it’s an easy and quick change. Yes, I tackled a few more items in the downstairs bath. I can’t wait to share my next project in this little half bath makeover!
Pin this to save this for later!
Like practical home improvement DIY’s to save money? You may also like these other projects I’ve shared.
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Serena @ Thrift Diving says
Hey, Wendi! The new bathroom in the North House looks so fresh and clean. It’s so funny that the toilet seat was a different color than the toilet. HA! The things people do…Looks great now!
Wendi says
Hi Serena & thank you! That’s a good way to say it, it looks fresh and having a matching toilet set cover was a must! LOL, you’re right the things people do, especially because the replacement seat was so inexpensive! I can’t wait to share the rest of the room this week:) Thanks so much for your visit!
Patty says
Good to know Wendi. I pinned for a later time. The good thing about changing this yourself is that you can clean good before installing and if you hire someone to do it, you know they are not going to clean it the way you would, maybe if you are lucky just wipe their fingerprints off.
Are you back in VT,?
Wendi says
Hi Patty…and no kidding on the cleaning! I can’t wait to change a toilet seat said no one ever but it’s such a handy thing to know and such a waste to pay someone for a task so simple. I’m in FL for now:) and have a huge stash of projects to share from last fall. I am going back for a week at the end of the month to get a few more things done. The bath upstairs is screaming for a makeover too!