Toilet Seat Repair: Keep Your Seat Tight

Install rubber bushings

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Photo 1: Slide on a rubber bushing

Install the rubber bushing with the tapered side facing up toward the toilet seat. Then use the tightening tool from the kit to snug up the nut.

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Photo 1A: Close-up of bushing kit

Rubber bushings slide on the seat bolt and the supplied tool helps with tightening.

Forum reader “tank_military” asked for advice on keeping a toilet seat tight for more than a few months at a time. Another forum member advised that he change out the plastic toilet seat bolts to steel. We think that’s just a temporary fix too.

Here’s a more permanent fix. Buy a toilet seat tightening kit (about $3) from a home center or through our affiliation with amazon.com. Remove the toilet seat nuts and insert the rubber bushings (Photo 1).

Install seat stabilizers

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Photo 2: Locate and install the stabilizers

Loop the rubber band around the toilet seat and center the stabilizers so they touch the inside rim of the bowl. Drill a starter hole and secure the stabilizers with screws from the kit.

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Photo 2A: Close-up of seat stabilizers

Plastic stabilizers keep the seat centered on the toilet.

Then install a set of toilet seat stabilizers (Photo 2), such as Safe-T-Bumpers ($4 at amazon.com). That'll eliminate loosening caused by side-to-side movement.