How to Buy Toilet Seats

The kitchen and the den are usually listed as the most important rooms in a home, but no home would be complete without the all-important bathroom. Little details like shower curtains, faucet handles and toilet seats can give any bathroom a warm and inviting look.

Instructions

1. Measure your toilet seats. The majority have seats that are a uniform diameter and width, but some old models installed in historic homes or very modern toilets may require a different sized seat. Measure the seat's width across and its length from front to back so that you can take extra width or an elongated seat into account when shopping.

2. Consider other family members. If you are caring for an aging parent, it might be necessary to add a toilet seat elevator in the future to help them. Make sure the toilet seat you purchase will accommodate such accessories. If there are small children in the home, check that the toilet seats you are considering are not especially heavy or have features that could be dangerous for an unattended child.

3. Match your bathroom. Select a toilet seat that matches your decor to blend in well with the rest of the room's furnishings. This will keep the toilet from sticking out and will give the whole bathroom an expertly decorated feel. If your bathroom is in need of a makeover, buying a new toilet seat is the perfect time to consider adding some other decorative touches and creating a cohesive theme to bring the room together.

4. Read the directions. Understand how to properly install the seat and attach it to your toilet. If the toilet seat does not come with an instruction sheet or book, ask an associate any questions you have to make sure that you understand what needs to be done.

5. Remember the hardware. If the toilet seat you are purchasing does not come as a kit with the necessary nuts and bolts for attaching the seat to your toilet, remember to purchase these items also.

6. Shop around at a few different stores and find a toilet seat that is economical and that will look great in your bathroom. Department stores and furniture decorating retailers will probably have a selection of toilet seats to peruse but purchasing a seat from a home improvement store or a hardware store is usually less expensive.