How to Remove a Toilet Seat Cover

Bolt caps

Like most household tasks, having to remove a toilet seat may seem overwhelming if you've never done it. In truth, removing a toilet-seat cover is a job so simple that anyone can do it. It only takes a few minutes, and once you've learned the basic procedure, you can change the seat cover any time you want, whether to replace a broken piece or simply to effect a décor change.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Pliers or wrench

Instructions

1. 

   Locate the small wood or plastic caps that cover the bolts that hold the toilet seat cover to the base. These are generally located just behind the seat itself, and are fastened to the porcelain base.

2. Lift the cap that covers the bolts. You can do this with a strong fingernail or a flathead screwdriver.

3. 

   Use the pliers (regular or channel-lock) to hold the locknuts in place on the porcelain base, where the seat is bolted. Use the screwdriver to unscrew the bolts from the base.

4. Remove the toilet-seat cover and dispose of the seat, bolts and locknuts.

5. Replace the seat cover with the new one using the same method, but in reverse.

Tips & Warnings

• Dirt and grime often collect around the bolts and the drilled holes in the porcelain. Be sure and clean this area before installing a new seat. If the locknuts connected to the bolts are loose enough, the screwdriver and pliers may not be necessary. More often than not, the bolts and the locknuts will be made of plastic. Higher-end toilet-seat covers may use metal, but these are rare.