Domakihub Replace a Toilet Seat Yourself in Under 15 Minutes
A cracked, wobbly, or stained toilet seat is one of the easiest bathroom fixes you can do without a plumber.
Reviewed by Domakihub home & decor pros · 2026-06-23 · 4 min read
A worn toilet seat is an instant red flag for guests in a holiday rental or hotel room — and replacing it takes less time than calling a handyman. The video above from This Old House walks you through the process visually, while this guide gives you the exact steps, tool list, and answers to the questions that always come up. Whether you manage one home in Athens or a portfolio of villas in Crete, this is a fix you can handle yourself in a single trip to the hardware store.
Why Toilet Seats Wear Out Faster Than You Think
Toilet seats endure constant mechanical stress — opening, closing, sitting, and cleaning — dozens of times a day. Plastic hinges crack, bolt holes widen, and the surface coating yellows or stains no matter how well you clean. In holiday rentals with high guest turnover, a seat that would last five years in a private home may need replacing inside eighteen months.
In Greek properties the combination of hard water, frequent bleach cleaning, and summer heat accelerates this wear. Choosing a seat with stainless-steel hinge bolts and a solid polypropylene or thermoplastic body (rather than hollow MDF) will significantly extend the lifespan of the replacement.
Choosing the Right Replacement Seat
Before you buy anything, measure your toilet bowl. Greek WCs most commonly use either a round bowl (about 38 cm front-to-back) or an elongated bowl (about 43 cm). Take a photo of the existing seat and note the distance between the two hinge bolt holes — the standard spread is 15 cm centre-to-centre, but some European manufacturers use 18 cm.
For rental properties, prioritise a seat with top-tighten or 'quick-release' hinges: they let cleaners remove the seat for deep cleaning without tools, and they take about 30 seconds to reattach. Brands widely available at Greek DIY chains (Praktiker, Leroy Merlin GR) include Grohe, Roca, and local no-name sets that fit standard bowls well.
How to Replace a Toilet Seat: Step by Step
- 1
Gather your tools and the new seat
You need: the new toilet seat (with hinge bolts included), an adjustable spanner or 10 mm open-end wrench, a flat-head screwdriver, rubber gloves, and a damp cloth. If the old bolts are rusted solid, have a hacksaw blade or cutting disc on standby.
- 2
Remove the old seat
Flip up the plastic caps that cover the hinge bolts at the back of the seat — they simply prise off with a screwdriver or fingernail. Hold the bolt head from above with your screwdriver while you unscrew the nut underneath the bowl rim with your spanner. Turn anti-clockwise. Once both nuts are off, lift the seat straight up and discard it.
- 3
Clean the hinge mounting area
With the old seat gone you will almost certainly find a ring of limescale, mould, or discolouration around the bolt holes. Spray with a bathroom cleaner, leave for two minutes, then wipe clean and dry thoroughly. A clean surface prevents the new seat from rocking and stops mould from forming underneath the hinge pads.
- 4
Position and secure the new seat
Set the new seat on the bowl so the hinge holes line up with the bolt holes in the porcelain. Drop the plastic or stainless bolts through from above, then thread on the nuts from below by hand. Press down lightly on the seat to centre it so there is an equal gap on both sides of the bowl, then tighten each nut firmly with your spanner — snug, not overtightened, which can crack the porcelain. Snap the bolt caps closed.
- 5
Test and adjust
Sit on the seat to check it does not shift sideways. Open and close it several times — the seat should stay open at around 90 degrees without falling back. If it wobbles, loosen one nut slightly, re-centre, and re-tighten. Finally, give the whole area a wipe-down and confirm the quick-release button (if fitted) clicks in and out cleanly.
Rather have a pro handle it?
Get a vetted plumbing pro in your city — one number, booked in EN/EL/DE.
FAQ
- How do I know what size toilet seat to buy?
- Measure your bowl from the front edge to the centre of the hinge bolt holes (front-to-back length) and note whether the front of the bowl is round or elongated. Also measure the distance between the two bolt holes — 15 cm is the most common in Greece. When in doubt, take the old seat to the store or check the brand name stamped inside the hinge.
- The old bolts are completely rusted — what do I do?
- Spray penetrating oil (WD-40 or similar) on the nuts and wait 10 minutes. If they still will not budge, cut through the bolt shank with a hacksaw blade inserted under the bowl rim. Work carefully to avoid scratching the porcelain. The new seat comes with its own bolts, so you only need to get the old hardware out.
- Can I replace a toilet seat without any tools?
- If the old seat uses top-tighten plastic bolts and the nuts are hand-tight you can often remove it with just your fingers. Many modern replacement seats also clip on without tools. However, for a rental or hotel property it is worth tightening the final nuts with a spanner to prevent the seat from working loose under heavy use.