If your toilet seat doesn’t stay up and you don’t know how to fix this, we’re here to help. There are multiple reasons why your toilet seat keeps falling. The most common causes are if your toilet lid is too thick, you have an incompatible seat/cover, or the toilet hasn’t been leveled properly.
This article will talk about all the key reasons why your toilet seat won’t stay up and how you can fix this annoying issue. Without any further ado, let’s get started.
Reasons Some Toilet Seat Won’t Stay Up
1. Seat too far back
If the toilet seat is installed a bit too far back than it is supposed to, your toilet seat will keep falling. The angle between the bowl and the seat’s back should be more than 90 degrees. With use over time, the bolts lose their grip and make the seat fall in itself.
The fix is easy though. You just have to remove the lid from the bowl and adjust the angle. Start by loosening the screws that connect the seat and the bowl, moving the toilet seat forward, and then securing the position with screws.
2. Toilet not level
If readjusting the seat didn’t solve the problem, there is a good chance that your toilet is out of level. You can easily check if your toilet is level using a spirit level. Place the level on your lid and watch the bubble.
If the bubble is within the marked area, your toilet is level. This issue can be fixed with some toilet wedges/shims. Place the shims under the toilet until the spirit level becomes acceptably flat and you should be good to go.
3. Toilet lid too thick
Another possible explanation may be the poor combination of your lid and seat. If the toilet lid is too thick, that can make the seat unbalanced and keep falling under its own weight.
If you have a toilet seat cover, get rid of it since it adds weight to your seat and makes the hinges deteriorate. If you don’t have one, your seat might be too heavy. Try to push it backward and see if that works. If not, you might need a new toilet seat.
4. Incompatible seat
We may take toilets for granted, but toilet seats aren’t universal. It’s easy to get confused and get an unfit toilet seat. We suggest you look at your toilet’s model number and try to find a good match.
An incompatible toilet seat will keep falling and make it difficult for you to use the toilet. Take good measurements and find the most suitable seat for your toilet to tackle this problem.
5. The seat cover is in the way
Many use seat covers for aesthetic value and to keep the seat warm.
However, the added weight of the seat cover can make the toilet seat fall down easily. The easiest way to solve this problem is to remove the seat cover and reinstall the seat. Don’t tighten the bolts too much since extra pressure can crack the materials.
How to Fix a Wobbly Toilet Seat?
Tighten/replace the screws
Toilet screws may become loose over time because of regular wear and tear and residue buildup. This can make the toilet seat wobbly. To fix this, you need to remove the seat and clean it thoroughly.
In some models, the bolts may be hidden by a plastic cover. Remove the cover, loosen the bolts with a screwdriver and clean thoroughly. Now reinstall the bolts and you should be good to go.
Use right size seats
Your toilet seat needs to be compatible with the bowl size. A round size seat won’t fit over an elongated bowl and vice versa. If your seat isn’t compatible with the bowl, that may cause a range of inconveniences for you, including a wobbly toilet seat.
Find out the size and shape of your toilet bowl and buy a toilet seat accordingly. This should fix your wobbly toilet issue.
Level the toilet
Your toilet might get out of balance over time and start wobbling around. That is why we recommend leveling the toilet every once in a while. The process is simple, just get a spirit level and check if your toilet is crooked on one side or not.
You can also use a downloadable level app on your phone to check the leveling. Once you find out the problem, you can use shims to level the toilet. You can also use rubber washers to level the screws and fix your wobbly toilet seat.
Clean the toilet
Over time, dirt and grime may build up at the joints of the toilet seat and make it wobbly. That is why we recommend cleaning your toilet every once in a while. Regular wear and tear may also loosen the bolts that connect the bowl and the seat.
Regular cleaning will help to combat this problem. Remove the toilet seat and look for any residue buildup. Clean the toilet thoroughly and reinstall the seat. Use new bolts if you have to.
When It’s Time to Fix a Toilet Seat
It might be a good time to check and fix your toilet if you notice one or more of the issues mentioned below:
- The toilet seat or the lead keeps falling on its own
- There are broken hinges, bolts, or screws visible
- You feel the seat moving beneath you when you sit
- The seat falls even when you rise it all the way to the tank
FAQs
1. How do I reattach a toilet seat?
Ans: Start by placing the seat in its original position. Match the holes on the seat with the same sized hole in the rim. Now, place the bolts through the hole and screw them tightly. You can also use rubber washers for a firm and strong grip.
2. Can you raise a toilet?
Ans: Yes. The easiest way to do that is to raise the height of the flange. Installing a toilet flange extension ring can significantly increase the height of your toilet. Make sure that your toilet is at least ¼ inches higher than the tile.
3. Why is putting the toilet seat down a big deal?
Ans: Besides common courtesy, putting down toilet seats and lids is also sanitary. Flushing, while the toilet seat is up, can help the germs to spread into the air. We recommend that you put down both your toilet seat and the lid after each use.
4. What is the difference between standard height and comfort height toilets?
Ans: Regular toilets are 15 inches high while the newer comfort height toilets are usually 17-19 inches. The higher bowl provides additional support to tall people, the elderly, and people with mobility problems.
5. Does any toilet seat fit any toilet?
Ans: No, toilet seat hinges are different and don’t fit in all toilets. There are two types of toilet seat fixing: top fixing and bottom fixing. Top fixing is used when the bottom part of the pan is not accessible. Bottom fixing is fitted from the underside of the fixing holes.
6. Should the toilet seat be up or down while pooping?
Ans: The seat should be down not only at the time of pooping but also for peeing if you do it sitting on the toilet. If you do it standing, the seat should be in an up position. However, the seat and lid should be down after flushing and when the toilet is not in use.
7. Do toilet seats have a weight limit?
Ans: 300lbs is the highest limit for average toilets. But bigger toilet seats can hold more pounds. For example, 1,200lbs is the highest limit for a 19-inch toilet seat.
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