Toilet Seat

Once in a blue moon, perhaps every two or three years, the toilet seat needs replacement. In this apartment, the replacement came after 5 years of use. The replacement lasted less than two years.

Replacing it was every bit the challenge I feared. First was setting out to visit the hardware store. Second was the worry and concern as to the size, shape and quality. Third, was the effort required to leave the car and get into the store while stumbling and threatening a fall. Once those hazards were survived, the shopping experience unfolded. Staff told me where the toilet seats were on display (all the way back, to the left corner, of course!). The display answered all of my feared questions quite easily. Solid plastic not painted wood that is easily chipped or scratched. Size and shape were easy peasy, not at all the concern I thought it would be. The stock, however, was broad in selection but sparse in actual goods to take out of the store. Seems my selection was unavailable with the exception of the displayed model. A clerk helped remove the product from the display fixture and sent me on my way.

I took the new seat home which is where I learned the bolts and nuts needed for installation were missing. Seems the display bolts are different from the commode requirements. Having spent my energy thus far, I placed the new seat upon the throne carefully and awaited another trip to the store in another week or so. Meanwhile, the new seat slipped and slid all over the place presenting decided hazards.

Tiring of the danger of daily toilet use, I finally made it back to the hardware store for a solution. Luckily the store owner served me, and he understood exactly my problem and peril. He quickly provided free replacement bolts that would do the trick. He also suggested Goo Gone a product that would remove the advertising sticker largely displayed on my toilet seat, which, you will remember, was a display item. The sticker had poorly been removed and left a lot of sticky adhesive that I could not remove.

Back home – having gotten the car in our condo garage, driven to the hardware store, negotiated a walker withdrawal from the back of the car and a useful walk into the store, then back again and finally up to the apartment – I was able to install the bolts. Trouble was evident when the bolts did not easily fit through the provided space. I had to laboriously screw the bolts through the small plastic opening, then fit the receiving nut underneath the toilet lip and screw the two items together. This took a lot of time and effort, plus doing it twice (two bolts you will recall). Finally, the seat was in place and no longer slipped and slid all over the place. One could now use the appliance with confidence and calm.

Goo Gone was applied to the lid with sticky goo left over from the display label. It worked as advertised but needed more effort to remove the now altered goo. A lot of rubbing, swiping and washing took place before the appearance became acceptable.

I am hopeful this is the last toilet seat I must buy and install. There comes a time when one simply doesn’t want to repeat a once simple chore no matter how urgently needed. Just saying.

January 5, 2023

 

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