Tighten a loose or wiggly toilet seat with inexpensive rubber bushings and seat stabilizers. It’s a 15-minute fix that'll last for years.
By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine:December/January 2012
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.
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).
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.
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.
Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration.
Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here's a list.
