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Say goodbye to seat wiggles with these toilet seat tightening tips
Of all the “seats” in your home, the ones in your bathroom are likely to have the most visitors. Toilet seats get a lot of action--from the pressure of being sat on and weight shifting to the constant raising and lowering of their lids and seats. All this repetitive motion can result in a loose and jiggly seat, which is not only aggravating but potentially unsafe. In most cases, a wobbly toilet seat doesn’t indicate a defect but rather loose screws or improper installation.
How much toilet seat wiggle is normal?
For any toilet seat, a slight wiggle may be normal and experienced when lifting the lid or seat, or pushing them left or right. If your seat moves out of position, check out these tips:
Toilet Seat Tightening Tips
- Gather Your Tools (See Cleaning Tip Below):
- Screwdriver (flathead or Phillips, depending on the screws)
- Adjustable wrench or pliers (optional, usually not required)
- Locate the Screws:
- Most toilet seats are secured with two screws or bolts at the back of the seat, near the hinges.
- Lift the plastic hinge covers or caps that hide the screw heads. You may need to pry them off gently with a flathead screwdriver.
- Tighten the Screws, Not the Nuts:
- Screws are plastic or metal, while nuts are usually plastic to prevent corrosion or over-tightening. Use a screwdriver to tighten the screws. It may be necessary to hold the nuts beneath to achieve proper tightness.
- If the screws spin without tightening, the nuts may be stripped and need to be replaced.
- Replace Damaged Parts:
- If the screws or nuts are broken or stripped, you may need to replace them.
- Replacement parts might be found at your local hardware store, but some seats have proprietary parts, only available from the manufacturer or authorized distributor.
- IMPORTANT, Clean Mounting Surface Before Installing:
- If your seat has been loose for a while, it’s likely that urine and/or cleaning residue are between the seat mounts and toilet bowl, causing the seat to slip and slide, like soap on a ceramic floor.
- Mounting surface must be clean and dry.
- We recommend using a little Windex or any glass cleaner to prep the surface and make it squeaky clean.
- Re-Install and Tighten:
- Insert the new bolts through the holes in the seat and toilet bowl. Secure them with the nuts provided.
- Tighten the screws from the top.
- Tighten very firmly (it may be necessary to hold the nuts to keep them from turning).
- Replace Screw Caps or Covers:
- Snap the plastic covers or caps back over the bolts to give a finished look and help protect the screws from moisture and corrosion.
- IMPORTANT MAINTENANCE TIP:
- When cleaning, DO NOT SPRAY or saturate the seat hinges or mounting bases. Instead, spray the cloth, then wipe around the mounting area.
Choose Bath Royale for Stability & Quality
As a family-owned and operated small business, Bath Royale takes extreme pride in offering only the best in products and customer service--all with the goal of helping you create a beautiful lifestyle in every corner of your home. As our flagship product line, our toilet seats are in a class of their own. We are proud to offer a high value product at an affordable price, offering access to long-lasting, luxury seats to a wide audience. Here are a few highlights of our top-rated toilet seats:
- Fits all major toilet brands, including Kohler, American Standard, Toto
- Fits non-standard mounting hole spacings, 4.5 to 6.5 inches
- Slow-Close prevents pinched fingers and loud slamming
- Quick-Release for easy cleaning
- Premium materials for durability
- Tested to 400 pounds, on seat and closed lid (4 bumpers on seat)
- Adjustable for a perfect fit
- 2-Year Warranty–double that of most other brands
- Solid color throughout; will not chip, peel or fade
Browse Bath Royale Toilet Seats
Troubleshooting a Loose Bath Royale Toilet Seat
When working with a Bath Royale toilet seat, a slight jiggle when lifting the lid or seat may be normal and due to the design of the quick-release mechanism which makes removing the seat fast and easy for thorough cleaning. How much is normal? To test your Bath Royale toilet seat:
- Close the lid and gently push the seat left or right. The seat may move slightly, no more than 1/4 inch at the front of the bowl, and then return to its original position when side pressure is removed.
- If your seat moves more than 1/4 inch, tighten the screws and mounting bases.
- If the jiggle is within normal range but still bothers you, try wrapping a small amount of plumbers’ Teflon tape around each mounting post, then re-attaching the seat.
Installing one of our soft close, quick release toilet seats isn’t difficult, but it’s different from other toilet brands. As with most consumer products, closely following instructions is critical for long-term durability. Installation instructions are available on our website, and we invite you to call or email us directly if further assistance is needed.
Toilet seat tightening using split wing nuts
Most Bath Royale seats come with stainless steel mounting screws and gray split wing nuts that work on a “wedge” principle. This combination is very effective in holding a seat firmly in place. NOTE: Toilet bowl mounting holes must be industry standard (round and 5/8 inch in diameter).
If not threaded properly, the wing nut may strip or not hold tight. To thread, the tips must be pointing upwards and centered in the underside of the hole. It may be necessary to hold the wing nut with one hand, pressing upward and moving the wing nut around until you feel the tips insert into the underside of the mounting hole.
Tighten by turning the screw from the top. DO NOT turn the wing nut. Once properly seated, tighten the screw very firmly with a screwdriver.
Questions? Please contact us at 704-589-1009 or by email at info@bathroyale.com. Product experts are available 7 days/week to help. Bath Royale is a small, family-owned business, which means we’re with you every step of the way--from purchase and installation to customer service and product support. Our easy-to-understand toilet installation instructions, troubleshooting videos and FAQs make DIY bathroom projects a cinch.