The Bowl Poll: How often do you replace your toilet seat?

[elegantlion]

I have historically moved every 5 years. It's coming up on year 5 with no plans to move soon. I also realized my toilet seat (basic model) needs to be replaced. One thing we've always done is buy new seats for any rental or home. They've stayed clean and in good repair, so we've never replaced one after the initial move since we moved on. 

 

So I'm curious how often you all replace seats. Poll attached. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Only as needed.

 

 

[Guest]

No, I never do this unless it is broken. This is also not something we replace or change on the rentals we manage. Is this an Other People's Germs thing? I'm relatively unconcerned about germs on anything that is capable of being sanitized, so toilet seat can be sanitized. Don't replace it.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Yeah and to be real, the toilet seat is probably not even as gross as the counter. 

 

We buy plastic seats.  We once had a wooden seat in a rental.  I hated that thing.  It seemed to absorb odors too.  Ick...

 

 

[elegantlion]

No, I never do this unless it is broken. This is also not something we replace or change on the rentals we manage. Is this an Other People's Germs thing? I'm relatively unconcerned about germs on anything that is capable of being sanitized, so toilet seat can be sanitized. Don't replace it.

 

It's kind of been the other people's germs, plus the fact we usually buy fixer uppers, so we get an idea of how clean the people were or were not. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

It's kind of been the other people's germs, plus the fact we usually buy fixer uppers, so we get an idea of how clean the people were or were not. 

 

I get that.  I am far less icked out by my own dirt.  LOL

[KungFuPanda]

We only replace broken seats. I don't understand throwing away one that isn't broken at all (unless it's ugly or padded). Clean is clean, so just clean it. If you're changing it because you're haunted by the idea that other people's germs were once there, wouldn't you need all new toilets to shake that notion?

[LucyStoner]

Only when one is broken or annoying. Never just because we moved in.

[ashfern]

The standard one that the builders use in our area are the cheap ones. We've had to replace them every time we've moved into a new place because the paint is peeling off. We get the plastic ones that are easier to keep clean.

[regentrude]

I replace toilet seats only as needed.  We clean.

[elegantlion]

We only replace broken seats. I don't understand throwing away one that isn't broken at all. Clean is clean, so just clean it. If you're changing it because you're haunted by the idea that other people's germs were once there, wouldn't you need all new toilets to shake that notion?

 

The porcelain is easier to get fully clean. The seats never get as clean. Ex and I used to clean houses and did some move outs, so we've seen a wide range of seats in various, um, conditions. 

[J-rap]

Only if it is broken or is starting to look bad for whatever reason.  (The water in our area eventually turns everything a rusty brown.)

 

In our current home, I think we're on our 3rd one.  (We've been here for 21 years.)

 

 

[AmandaVT]

We replaced ours when we moved in here. I think it was somewhere around $10 and less than 10 min to swap out. Good deal for not having to deal with someone elses bathroom germs. Not sure if I would do that again, but this place was nasty when we bought it. 

[TinaBlue]

When we moved last year, we replaced the cheap seats with sturdier, soft close ones with built-in toddler seats. We don't plan to change these until they break or get badly stained.

[shawthorne44]

When they get badly stained.  

I wasn't sure what to say on the moving question.  I wouldn't replace them because we moved, but in our last move we replaced both the seats in the new house and the seats in the old now rental house.  

[SKL]

Only if it is broken.

 

Though I have a friend who buys a new toilet seat every time her sister (the germophobe) visits.  She shows the sister the new packaged seat when she arrives and then installs it, so the sister knows it is clean.  :P  No lie.

 

Thankfully toilet seats are very cheap and easy to install.  :)

[Cindy in FL.]

We only replace them as needed.

[wapiti]

We've probably replaced one or two seats (that were broken) in our entire adult lives.  We have lived in this house (new construction) for 10 years and I don't remember replacing any of the seats.

 

I've learned a lot in the past year about various nasty germs, but the toilet seat hasn't been an area of concern for me.  It gets cleaned.

[Melissa B]

Only when they break or when we move into a home with wooden toilet seats.

[Farrar]

Only as needed... but I have found that we need to replace about every 5 or 6 years on average. Inevitably there's a stain or a scratch that starts to be sort of icky and I'll get on a cleaning craze and be like, ick, must go.

 

I have replaced them when I moved and not... it depends. But now I haven't moved in so long...

[Butter]

How often do I replace the seat: Other - When the previous one breaks (I use a Clorox wipe on toilet seats daily, though, so they are pretty clean)

 

Location matter: No.  A broken seat is a broken seat lol

 

Replace when move: No.  But now I feel the need to replace the two seats we have not replaced since we moved here 2 years ago (one is forming a crack so it'll need to be replaced soon anyway).

[Tap]

Only as needed. I have replaced the seat once in each bathroom.

[Tap]

Only as needed. I have replaced the seat once in each bathroom.

[Chris in VA]

When stained. It's usually Aunt Flo's fault, IYKWIM. Thankfully, that is coming to an end. (Stained on the underside--for some reason, I don't always notice that.) Sorry for tmi.

[chocolatechip]

Only when they break.

[Pawz4me]

dp

[Pawz4me]

Only when necessary -- which is when one breaks or gets visibly worn.

 

I do completely remove all the seats once or twice a year and clean/disinfect around the area where they attach to the toilet.

 

ETA:  We've never lived in a "used" home.  So I'm not sure what I'd do in that situation.  Probably just remove them and clean everything thoroughly unless they were broken or worn.

[SKL]

As for when we move - we have only once moved into a house (as opposed to an apartment owned by someone else), and that was 20+ years ago.  We did not replace the toilet seats just because we moved in.  The house had been vacant a while and I did a super deep clean everywhere.

[MyThreeSons]

We replace as needed. I like the kind that has a quick-release attachment, so that the whole seat can be easily lifted off for cleaning. 

 

I don't think we bought new seats when we moved in here -- 17 years ago. But we have replaced them a couple of times, in each of the three bathrooms. 

[JFSinIL]

Only when broken.

 

Didn't understand the middle set of questions, yet had to pick one to get my other votes counted. So picked the last choice.  I mean, if a seat breaks it gets replaced, no matter which bathroom it is.

[horsellian]

Another vote for "only when broken". Never occurred to me to do it more often.

[Kerileanne99]

Yeah, I KNOW that toilets can be sanitized...but that didn't stop me from replacing the seats, and, um, the whole darn toilets, when we moved in to our house😊

And the existing ones were under 2 years old! I just had to do it:)

I felt absolutely guilty about it though, so we cleaned and scrubbed the old ones and took them to the Habitat for Humanity store.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Only when broken or if they start to get scratched.  (The scratches can be hard to disinfect.)

[TranquilMind]

When we move to a new home.  I replace them all each time.  Just a personal thing.  And then, of  course, I keep them clean for us (and the next guy, if he chooses not to replace). 

[Guest]

....who the heck replaces toilet seats that aren't broken?

 

That qualifies as one of the most bizarre things I've ever heard. It's got to be in the top three.

[MotherGoose]

How do you ever manage a public toilet? 😀

[Jean in Newcastle]

In thinking this over, if I was so on top of housework, homeschooling and everything else where this would even register on my to-do list, I would be rejoicing.  I don't think it's a bad thing, just not a priority for me.  Now actually disinfecting what is there would be a priority for me.  

[ErinE]

Only when broken for our homes. I clean the toilets thoroughly every time we move (and for new homes, FYI, the construction crew uses your toilet).

 

Would you change the toilet handle? The bathroom faucet handles? The light switches?

[MyThreeSons]

....who the heck replaces toilet seats that aren't broken?

 

That qualifies as one of the most bizarre things I've ever heard. It's got to be in the top three.

 

Ours don't get broken, but the paint / finish tends to wear off. I know, weird, but it's true. I will admit that I don't invest a lot in a high-quality seat. 

[Night Elf]

I replaced one once when it broke. Otherwise it has never even occurred to me to do such a thing for any other reason.

[Truscifi]

We only replace if it is broken, but in our house that seems to happen often, especially in the kids' bathroom. So every few years for us.

[Ellie]

I don't know how often we replace the toilet seat. Whenever it's necessary, I guess.

[Joker]

We've been in this home 8 years (it was new when we moved in) and we've never replaced one. They all still look fine.

[Ausmumof3]

I don't know but the plastic is peeling on ours so I guess we need to so it. Do some cleaning products damage the plastic?

[elegantlion]

....who the heck replaces toilet seats that aren't broken?

 

That qualifies as one of the most bizarre things I've ever heard. It's got to be in the top three.

 

Seats that get stained or chipped might be replaced. While I am apt to embrace my weirdness, I don't find the concept that bizarre. After formerly being married to a carpenter for 20 years, discussion of when and why to replace household parts seems like regular conversation. 

 

We've had discussion about how long appliances last, what floors and countertops people might like to replace, toilet seats doesn't seem that far off for me. 

 

How do you ever manage a public toilet? 😀

 

:confused1:  Did I say I was a germaphobe? Perhaps you don't buy fixer uppers, I do. I generally don't  trust previous owners to have the same cleaning standards as me. A $10 investment to have a nice new place to put my tushie doesn't  make me phobic of public restrooms. How did you even jump to that conclusion?

 

In thinking this over, if I was so on top of housework, homeschooling and everything else where this would even register on my to-do list, I would be rejoicing.  I don't think it's a bad thing, just not a priority for me.  Now actually disinfecting what is there would be a priority for me.  

 

Oh, we disinfect plenty. I just noticed that's is looking a little worn even after cleaning. Normally, I'd be planning on moving soon. 

 

I'm on a priority of getting my house in order (in so many ways). The toilet seat is one of many projects on the list. It's probably the cheapest and easiest too. The last few times I've checked at our store, they have been out of the model seat I want to buy, which I thought was odd. Which led me to think people were replacing them more than me - especially those that don't move often. 

[elegantlion]

Only when broken for our homes. I clean the toilets thoroughly every time we move (and for new homes, FYI, the construction crew uses your toilet).

 

Would you change the toilet handle? The bathroom faucet handles? The light switches?

 

No on the toilet handle. It's chrome and can be cleaned easier than a plastic or wooden seat. Faucets, same thing, although we have replaced some. Light switches are a different type of plastic and easier to clean. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

BTW - we've changed out all the toilets in our current house and have done two full remodels and one partial remodel.  The partial remodel included replacing the wobbly toilet which hid a hidey hole for who knows what (since the former owner was sent to jail for armed robbery).  We most recently changed just the toilet seat in one bathroom because it was a softer plastic that was horribly etched by bathroom cleaner.  We didn't get that kind of seat again!  

[elegantlion]

No, because under normal circumstances someone's derriere isn't rubbing all over those things. (LOL)

 

:lol: I'm sure there is someone out there with abnormal circumstances regarding those items. It's probably on youtube. I am so not looking. 

[texasmama]

Only when it breaks.  We've never changed three of the four seats, though we did need to replace a toilet once.  Dh dropped something heavy on a toilet seat right after we moved in 15 years ago so we replaced it.  This never, ever occurred to me to do as a matter of course.

[EmseB]

I feel relief in knowing that it is a WOMEN'S restroom, and no boys splattered all over the place.  (LOL)

 

Less anxiety in using a public toilet than in using my own.  (LOL)

 

IME with public restrooms, women who hover in public restrooms are WORSE than my two little boys.  I mean, they must be hovering, because otherwise I cannot figure out the contortions some ladies must go through to manage to get that much pee on a toilet seat.  :ack2:

 

That said, I have a couple of little boys and the toilet seat itself stays clean because it gets wiped down everyday.