How to Remove American Standard Toilet Seat? [2024 Guide]

American standard toilets are very much in use for a couple of years. The brand has been receiving very positive feedback for the toilets and the manufacture of these toilets has even increased more. There are a few questions that we are often asked by our readers. One of these questions that recently got our attention is “How to remove American standard toilet seat?”. Well, the procedure is very much similar to that in the case of any toilet. Here’s an accurate answer.

Start by loosening the nuts and bolts that attach the toilet seat with the bowl. Use a screwdriver for that. Now remove the bolts, deal with one bolt at a time. If the nuts and bolts are in tight space, use a basin wrench to move them. When the nuts and bolts have been removed, pull the toilet seat upwards and it will easily come out.

How to Take a Toilet Seat Off?

To start with the process of taking the toilet seat off, you’ll need to have the following tools with you.

• A large screwdriver
• A basin wrench or tongue-and-groove pliers
• In case your toilet is pretty old, you’ll need a putty knife, a small hacksaw, and a socket wrench as well.

Here is the detailed procedure for removing an American Standard toilet seat or any other toilet seat.

• Pull out the bolt housing
• Remove the bolts
• Pull up the toilet seat

Pull Out the Bolt Housing

Many new toilet seats have two plastic bolts and nuts attaching them to the toilet bowl. These bolts are covered under plastic housing, in order to protect them from exposure and corrosion. Pry up the plastic housing using your fingers or a screwdriver to uncover the bolt.

Check Further This Guide: How to Change Flapper on American Standard Toilet

Remove the Bolts

Once you’ve uncovered the bolts, now you have to remove them in order to detach the toilet seat from the bowl. Make sure your screwdriver is large enough to fit into the bolt groove. The bolt-on toilet seat attachments are held in place with the help of a wingnut. Hold the wingnut with your hands while unscrewing the bolt while reaching under the seat.

In case there is no wingnut present, you can use a wrench or pliers to grasp the nut. While you unscrew the bolt, hold the nut in place with tongue-and-groove pliers or a crescent wrench.

Another important thing while removing the bolts is to make use of a basin wrench in order to deal with tight spaces. These wrenches have the job to hold or move the bolts in tight spaces. If you’re dealing with the same situation, using the basin wrench, hold the nut in place and let your partner unscrew the plastic bolt.

Pull Up the Toilet Seat

After removing the nuts and bolts, the toilet seat would be detached from the bowl and you can easily take off the seat by pulling it upwards.

See Also: How to Find American Standard Toilet Model Number 

How to Remove a Toilet Seat with Hidden Bolts?

In some toilets, the bolts and hinges are often hidden, manufactured with the thought of making NO compromise over the beauty and appearance of the toilet. But, in that case, also, you can remove a toilet seat easily.

You’ll need the following tools to get started:

• Hand gloves
• Hacksaw
• Duct tape
• Socket wrench
• Drill with bits
• Putty knife
• Pliers
• Flathead screwdriver
• And penetrating oil

Here are the steps on how to remove a toilet seat with hidden bolts.

1. Put on your gloves before you get started.
2. Secure your toilet seat with the duct tape in place, or order to avoid its misplacing during the procedure. The seat and lid can also be taped together in an open or closed position. This would also help. If you need to drill or cut off the bolts before removing the toilet seat, tape the cover with cardboard before removing the seat. In this way, you can protect the plastic portion of the seat.
3. With your flat head screwdriver, remove these caps. It may be necessary to apply a socket wrench or extension to reach the bolt holding the nut before you can get to the hidden fixing. For this, you’ll simply have to turn the socket wrench in a counter-clock direction. By applying gentle but steady pressure on the wrench a few times, the nuts will loosen.
4. In the case of an old toilet seat, apply penetrating oil to the two bolts. After applying the oil, allow it to seep into the tight spaces of the hardware for about five to ten minutes. By then, you’ll be able to remove the bolts easily.
5. Using your flathead screwdriver, remove the caps carefully. The bolt that attaches the seat to the wing can now be seen from the top side after you remove the caps. You will find bolts sticking out of the toilet under there. To tighten the bolts, wingnuts are utilized. Hold the nuts steady with the pliers and then unscrew the bolt with the screwdriver.
6. In a situation when the screwdriver fails to work, use a hacksaw. Placing the putty knife around the bolt head and covering the porcelain with it will help it adhere to the porcelain. Using the hacksaw, cut at the hardware.
7. Finally, if you can’t get the job done with pliers, you can drill the bolts with your drilling machine. Put on your safety glasses. The drill should be about 1/16 of an inch thick. You should drill steadily and firmly on the bolt/nut connection. as the hardware loosens, you’ll be able to remove the nuts.

Read Now: American Standard Toilet that won’t Stop Running

How to Fix a Loose Toilet Seat?

A loosened toilet seat is usually the result of loosened nuts and bolts that attach the toilet seat to the toilet bowl. This issue, however, can easily be resolved by tightening the bolts back which were loosened over time. Here’s how to do it.

• To fix a loosened toilet seat, start by pulling up the toilet seat by pressing the buttons and pulling the seat, simultaneously.
• When you’ve removed the seat, uncover the hinges to expose the bolts.
• Now use a screwdriver to tighten these bolts. Make sure you do not overtight them.
• When you’re done, cover the bolts with the hinges and place back the seat.

Why does my toilet seat keep sliding?

A sliding toilet seat is the result of loosened bolts that hold the toilet seat and bowl firmly together. The issue can be fixed by tightening those bolts. If the problem reoccurs after some time, that is because the holes that the bolts go into, are intentionally oversized so they don’t crack the porcelain. The solution to this is to Pack the bolt holes with special washers. This can keep them secure.

Read More: Kohler Vs American Standard Toilets

How do you remove a toilet seat with no visible screws?

Here’s a short answer to this.

• Pry open the hinge cover with the appropriate tool, applying gentle pressure in order to avoid damage.
• Now simply remove the plastic caps by sliding a flathead screwdriver beneath them and popping them out.
• The caps on some toilet seats are attached hard, while others pop off easily.
• The hinge mechanism will be visible when the cap is removed. You can continue with removing the screws or bolts and removing the seat.

A detailed answer to this question has been given above in this article under the heading of “How to remove a toilet seat with hidden bolts”.

Conclusion

An American Standard toilet seat can easily be moved in case of any repair or replacement required. You’ll just have to follow the steps that we’ve mentioned in our article. Make sure you carry the entire procedure very carefully, in order to avoid any inconvenience or mishandling.

In case you find the procedure difficult for any reason, it would be better to contact a plumber rather than test your toilet by trying different techniques.