Soft Close Toilet Seat

These days most toilets feature a soft close toilet seat. This means that when you drop the seat down it falls in a gentle, controlled, silent fashion.

No longer do you need to suffer the sleep shattering clanging of an old style toilet seat in the middle of the night.

But if you’re looking at replacing your old toilet or toilet seat you’ll probably want to know whether these slow close seats are worth the money.

Are Soft Close Toilet Seats Any Good?

The short answer is ‘yes’ they’re fantastic. Quality can vary across different brands and models and obviously, you get what you pay for.

But the advantages of these slow closing, almost silent toilet seats make them well worth the extra money. Benefits include:

• Almost silent—no late night clangs when someone or even the cat accidentally drops the lid

• Easier for people with back issues who struggle to bend down to lower an old style lid quietly

• Reduces wear and tear or potential damage on porcelain bowls

• Eliminates potential for cracked wooden toilet seats caused by dropping from fully open

• Stylish and fashionable to the point that these gently closing seats are the standard

• Adds value and style to your bathroom—see above point

If you still have a traditional toilet seat then the good news is you can easily modernise your toilet and replace it with a gentle close toilet seat.

How Long Do Soft Close Toilet Seats Last?

Slow close toilet seats do have a finite life span; after all there are moving parts involved. But how long a particular slow close toilet seat will last depends on the quality of the seat and hinges, and the frequency and type of usage.

On average, the hinges on a soft close seat will last about 40,000 to 55,000 open and close actions before the hinges need replacing.

Cleaning and maintenance will help to ensure a longer lifespan. As for the toilet seat itself, durability will again depend on product quality, material type and usage. At the very least, you should expect several years use.

Avoid the use of harsh cleaning chemicals and abrasive scrubbing brushes or cloths, as these will damage the surface of your toilet seat.

How Do Soft Close Toilet Seats Work?

Generally, slow closing hinges feature a plastic/ rubber drum-type hinge or damper that creates resistance or drag to slow the toilet seat down as it drops onto the toilet bowl.

How To Make Toilet Seat Soft Close?

If you have a traditional closing toilet seat such as a solid wood toilet seat you may be able to make it slow closing by replacing the traditional hinges with a slow close hinge.

You may be able to purchase soft close hinges to fit most plastic style toilet seats but many, especially the cheaper models, will have fixed hinge plates that will not accept a slow close hinge fitting.

In most cases, it’s easier to simply purchase a slow close toilet seat and slow close hinge unit.

How To Install, Change Or Remove A Soft Close Toilet Seat?

Removal and installation of most slow close toilet seats is straightforward. Always measure the existing toilet seat, toilet bowl and fixing hole dimensions to ensure the new toilet seat will fit.

To remove the existing toilet seat, loosen the bolts, wing nuts or toggles that hold the seat onto the toilet bowl.

Many modern slow close seats have push buttons on the hinges that if you press will allow you to lift the entire seat off the hinge plate. This allows you to access the fixing bolts.

Depending on the model, you may now see a removable chrome or plastic cover that you can lift off to access the fixing bolt or screw from the top. Otherwise, you may need to access the bolts from underneath the rear edge of the bowl.

If you are simply replacing the seat with a new one of the same model you probably won’t need to replace the entire fixing bolt kit and installation will be the reverse of this process.

If you are replacing the seat with an entirely different model then you will probably need to change the fixing kit and soft close hinges to match.

Tools Needed

A Phillips or flat head screwdriver are probably the only tools you’ll need. You may need an adjustable wrench for older bolt fixings.

How To Fix Soft Close Toilet Seat

Why Does My Soft Close Toilet Seat Creak?

Slow close toilet seats may creak for a number of reasons.

1.  The hinges may be worn—some models allow you to tighten them, otherwise you may need to replace the hinge.
2.  The toggle or fixing bolts may have come loose and hinge/ seat alignment has been affected. Simply realign the seat and hinges and tighten the fixing bolts or toggles.
3.  The seat hinge plates may be cracked or damaged and need to be replaced.
4.  Dirt may have built up inside the hinge—clean, spray a little lubricant, and reinstall.

Can You Adjust A Soft Close Toilet Seat?

Most slow closing toilet seat hinges are not adjustable. Some models may have adjustable hinges and it may also be possible to take them apart and apply a special silicon / grease that increases resistance in the hinge thus causing the seat to close more softly.

Why Does My Soft Close Toilet Seat Not Work?

If your slow close toilet seat no longer closes properly, the dampers or hinges are probably worn and need replacing.

Can You Repair A Soft Close Toilet Seat?

We supply replacement dampers and other soft close hinge parts for most models of slow close toilet seats so that you need replace only the damaged or worn parts rather than the entire seat.

Replacement Soft Close Toilet Seats

We supply a wide range of slow close toilet seats for most of Australia’s popular brands including:

• Kohler Odeon, Panache, Parliament, Escale, Presquile, Ove, Freelance, Reach
• Englefield Evora, Valencia, Milano, Electronic bidet

We are authorised supply and service agents for many other brands too so pop in and talk to us about all your toilet and bathroom needs.