How to Replace a Toilet Handle in 10 Minutes
When we finished our bathroom renovation and I posted the reveal to Instagram, someone commented saying she couldnāt unsee how the nickel-colored handle didnāt match the rest of the hardware and I had no idea what she was talking about.
A toilet handle is such a mainstay in a bathroom that it blended into the background in my mind until one day, months later, I looked at it with renewed eyes somehow and was like āohhhh, thatās what she meant.ā
So this is a formal apology to that lady because she was right.
Turns out not only can you replace your toilet handle, but itās also really affordable and takes ā Iām not even exaggerating ā about 10 minutes to do.
So, hereās how to replace a toilet handle in 10 minutes:
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Remove the toilet tank cover
This should just lift right up but is a little heavy so place it down carefully.
Empty the tank
Pull up on the chain and hold it there, which will drain the tank (I didnāt do this but I shouldāve). Next, unclip the chain from the existing handle and set it aside.
Unscrew the handle
Grab a wrench and loosen the existing nut thatās tightened against the inside of the tank. Note: the nut will be reverse threaded (which means you loosen it the opposite direction to normal), so that it doesnāt loosen over time as the handle is used. Once that nut is off, slide the existing handle out of the toilet tank.
Add the new handle
Grab your new handle (we used this one) and just repeat the process backyard: Slide the handle into place, use the wrench to tighten the nut on the inside (only do a little past hand-tight so you donāt damage it), clip the chain onto the end of the handle, and add the toilet tank back on.
See? Shockingly easy!
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