While that person has probably done you a favor on a cold winter’s morning, sitting on a toilet seat that has just been used may also bring some discomfort—but not as much as a cold seat.
Toilet seats typically feel cold because they’re cooler than our body temperature. But if you leave the AC on all day, live in a cold region, or don’t use any other material to warm up the toilet seat, it may feel substantially colder than you’re used to.
Sustainable (and hygienic) options are available to keep your toilet seat warm during winter. This article will detail those options.
Causes of a Cold Toilet Seat
The toilet seat will usually feel cold because the normal human body temperature is about 98 degrees (37 degrees celsius). The normal temperature of the thighs—which make the most contact with the toilet seat—is about eight degrees less depending on the environment that you are in.
The moment the human body makes contact with any unheated material, it will invariably feel at least a little colder because of that. The warmer your body is, the greater the shock to your system from a chilly seat.
However, other factors may contribute to a toilet seat being substantially colder than usual.
You Always Leave The Air Conditioning On
The reality is that all bathrooms need some form of ventilation to prevent moisture from building up in the shower or bath. Whether that be through a set of windows or an air conditioner, most people want their bathrooms to stay ventilated 24 hours a day.
If you happen to fall within that bracket (most people) and your shower shares the bathroom with your toilet, then the air blowing onto your toilet seat will keep it colder than the rest of the house.
The Weather Is Cold
This is a shoutout to people living in places like Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Maine, and Wyoming, which are among the coldest in the United States on average. Toilet seats will always be frigid in colder regions of the country.
Even with sufficient heating in your home, it is pretty likely you’ll get a cold toilet seat when you live in places like these. Regardless of where you live, the falling temperatures in the fall and winter months will also make your seat feel colder.
The Material Doesn’t Retain Heat
Some materials used to make toilet seats will retain heat much better than others. So while your toilet seat is always likely to feel a little colder when you visit the loo, there are times when it might feel even colder than usual because of the materials used to produce the toilet seat.
There are instances when materials are even added to a toilet seat as a form of covering, which helps heat up the toilet seat when you visit the loo. However, some of those materials will wear away quicker than others. That also has an impact on how cold your toilet seat will be.
The Toilet Seat Is or Was Wet
A toilet seat is usually wet because of the splash caused when you flush your toilet. Because this happens while you are flushing the toilet, it can be quite easy to miss it. Sometimes the droplets are so tiny that you would miss them with the naked eye anyway.
A toilet seat can also be wet because it is right next to the sink or basin, which you use to wash your hands, brush your teeth, or anything else in that sphere. Because you are usually so engrossed in the basin activity, it can be easy to ignore splashing water.
The worst-case scenario is having a toilet seat that is wet because you live with a man who doesn’t bother to put it up when using the bathroom. Whatever the circumstances, that liquid on the seat will evaporate at some point, using up any heat that might be left.
Are Wooden Toilet Seats Warmer Than Plastic Seats?
Yes, wooden toilet seats are warmer and generally more comfortable than plastic toilet seats or any other type of toilet seat made from a synthetic material.
That is partly because wooden seats are thicker and more absorbent than plastic seats.
What Is The Warmest Toilet Seat Material?
Wood is the warmest toilet seat material because it is less responsive to temperatures than toilet seats that are made from synthetic materials.
Wooden toilet seats don’t just feel warmer than other toilet seats, though—they are also more aesthetically pleasing. In a bathroom setting, where there is invariably a lot of porcelain and plastic, a wooden toilet seat will look warmer, too, because it is a richer color.
A wooden toilet seat just gives life to an otherwise clinical environment. In the mind of some, that could matter a considerable amount when seeking toilet seat warmth.
How to Make a Toilet Seat Warmer
You can warm up a toilet seat by using a pair of socks, toilet paper, napkins, cloth, a hair dryer, a padded toilet seat, and even your own body heat(or somebody else’s). Your best bet, however, is to purchase a heated toilet seat.
You can purchase one from an online vendor like Amazon, eBay, or Walmart. Not only does a heated seat warm up your toilet, but it also keeps it warm for sustained periods during the middle of winter.
Do Heated Seats Use A Lot Of Electricity?
Some heated seats use 1400 watts—about as much as a typical blow dryer—and will pop on a 15-amp circuit. Others draw closer to 400 watts, or about 3–4 amps, which is much easier on most household circuits.
When installing a heated toilet seat, ensure you have sufficient clarity on what electrical load the seat will have on your home’s electrical system. If you don’t want to use up the electricity, consider a padded seat instead.
Conclusion
If you find your plastic toilet seat isn’t that comfortable because it’s cold, consider other types of toilet seats such as heated seats or wooden seats. These two types of toilet seats have the added nice features of looking prettier than typical plastic toilet seats.
A heated seat will probably make the most noticeable difference in a cold environment like the North and Northeastern United States.
