In order to have a functional toilet, you need a few components. The first is a water source, the second a working flushing system, and the third is a toilet seat that stays up or down depending on how you decide to place it.

The most common reason that your toilet seat won’t stay up is that the seat was installed too far back towards the tank. To fix your toilet seat and make sure that it does stand up, you will need to unscrew the seat, pull the seat as far forward as you can, and then retighten it.

Why Your Toilet Seat Won’t Stay Up

The Seat is Too Far Back

This is usually the most common reason why the toilet seats won’t stay up. What happens is that when a toilet seat is installed, the angle of the toilet seat must be at least 90 degrees. This is important because otherwise, the seat cannot rest against the toilet tank. If it is not over 90 degrees, the toilet seat will always continue to fall.

This problem can be fixed easily in a few different methods:

Loosen The Lid

There will be two screws that attach the lid to the seat of your toilet. If you loosen these screws, then you can move the seat properly. You will need to use a wrench to loosen then, If you are having trouble doing this, then you can also use a screwdriver on the top of the bolt to stop it from spinning.
If you are having trouble finding the screws, they may be hidden under a small plastic cover. If you do have this, pop the cover-up to find the screws, It will snap back into place when you are finished.

Pull The Seat Forward

After loosening these screws, you can pull the seat as far to the front as possible. This will allow you to create the 90-degree angle that you need to keep it from falling.

Tighten The Lid Again

The next step is to tighten the screws that you have just altered. If the seat stays, then you know you have fixed it. If it is not fixed, then you may have a different problem.

Your Toilet Is Not Level

Another reason why your toilet seat may not be staying up is that the toilet is not level. This can be for a variety of reasons, but first, you need to see if the toilet is in fact not level.

It is simple to check if your toilet is level. First, begin by finding a level. If you cannot find a level, then you can most likely find an app on your smartphone to use as a level. Take either your smartphone level app, or your level, and place it on the lid when it’s closed. This will tell you if it is level or not.

If your toilet slants forward then you will need to get some toilet sims. These are small plastic items that can be used under the toilet to make it level. Place these around the base of the toilet and push them under.

Toilet Won't Stay Up

These shims should typically be placed under the front of the toilet in order to have the toilet seat at the best angle to avoid the seat falling.

Be aware that there is a wax ring under your toilet. This ring is incredibly important, and it keeps the water from leaking out of the toilet. If you shove the shims under the toilet too hard then you may damage the ring and create a whole and problem.

Your Toilet Lid is Too Thick

The final reason that your toilet lid might not stay up, is that the lid could be simply too thick for your seat. If your toilet lid is too thick, then your toilet seat will most likely be sitting a bit shorter than 90 degrees, hence it falling.

Sometimes if you have a toilet seat cover this can occur. If you do have a cover on your lid then you should first try removing it, this may solve your problem.

If removing the cover does not solve your problem, then you have one option, purchase a new toilet seat or toilet lid. Before purchasing a new version of either, be sure to attempt pushing the lid on your toilet tank back as much as you can.

How To Fix a Wobbly Toilet Seat

Wobbling toilet seats can be incredibly frustrating. There are two reasons why your toilet seat may be wobbling, loose screws or a wrongly sized toilet seat.

You Have Loose Screws

Loose screws on your toilet seat can be caused by a few things such as residue build-up under the screws, but often it simply occurs due to daily use. To fix this follow the following steps:

  • First, you need to remove the screws.
  • Use a screwdriver to loosen the screws. If they spin without loosening then you may need to use a wrench.
  • Use these to hold the nut and then loose the screws. This should allow you to remove the seat.
  • Once you have removed the seat, you need to clean the area where the screws once were.
  • This might fix the problem, and if so, re-install the toilet seat and see if you have solved the problem.
  • If your seat becomes loose again, you can look into using rubber toilet seat washers. This will help you to keep your seat in place.
  • These can be easily installed by placing them between the top of the screw and the toilet.

You Have the Wrong Size Seat

If your toilet seat is the wrong size, it can result in a wobbly toilet situation. Since every toilet seat has spacers on the underside, this helps you to keep your toilet seat from resting on the actual porcelain part.

When your seat is the wrong size, the spacers can slip. This most likely has occurred because the toilet seat is the wrong shape. There are two toilet seat shapes: round and elongated. You must have the right size toilet seat in order to have it stop wobbling. In this case, get the right sized toilet seat and it should solve your problem.

Related Questions

If I want to replace my toilet seat, how can I figure out what shape I need?

The best way to solve this issue is to take a photo of your current toilet seat. Then you can bring it into a home improvement store and find the right shape that works with what you own.

How can I adjust my toilet seat?

Adjusting your toilet seat is simple. Begin by loosening the screws on the part that holds your lid to the toilet bowl. Once this is done, you can move your toilet seat to the location that works best for you. Then, while holding the seat in the position you choose, tighten the screws.

Final Words 

While, having a toilet seat that won’t stay up does not seem as though it is necessary, but in reality, it is extremely important. Living in a household, or running a business, with a wobbly toilet seat can be very problematic