How to Replace a Toilet Seat

Today we're going to replace this old toilet seat with a new one. Let's get started. This old toilet seat needs to be replaced. There's lots of stain and possibly mold and the hinges are coming apart. The seat is also unstable as one of the bolts holding it down is broken. There's no tension in the hinge and it falls down very easily. To take up the seat we need to first unlock the hinge plates. These plates can vary in design. The ones like this rotate to the left. Others you would lift up to get to the bolts. To find the bolts look underneath the toilet and remove the nut that's holding it down. After you've taken it off give the area a good cleaning. With the nuts removed you're free to lift the seat from the rest of the toilet. With the seat removed let's give this area a good cleaning as well. With that done let's unbox the new toilet seat. This seat is made by Bemis and was about $27. Inside you'll find the seat, some instructions, and the nuts and bolts to hold down the hinges. The seat hinges don't use the rotation locks but have these square covers that come apart. Let's take a look at how to assemble these nuts and bolts. On the top of the bolt you'll see some spikes. They fit inside the cutout groove and help hold down the hinge plate. They slide back and forth allowing you to fit your seat to the build of your toilet. The bolt holds the seat to the toilet by tightening the lock nut. This fits into the hinge plate on the back of the toilet seat. With that all ready let's put the bolts into place. Lift up the hinge plates and slide it to lock it down. Next take the lock nuts and screw it down on both sides. Don't tighten it down all the way as you'll need to align the seat with the rest of the bowl. Once you have it lined up correctly get the lock nut and tighten the seat down. Be careful about using metal pliers as these are plastic or nylon and can break. With that tightened down double check that everything feels good. Then seal the hinge plates. Double check that everything is aligned and opens correctly. If everything looks good you've just installed a toilet seat. This is a huge improvement as it's much cleaner, it's more stable, and the lid doesn't fall down at the slightest touch. This is a very simple project but really makes a bathroom look much more clean. And we're done here. Thanks so much for watching and have a great day!