If you’re living aboard in a non-tropical place in the winter, your tush may be rebelling at that cold, cold toilet seat. I’ve heard complaints from friends as far south as Tampa on some of these chilly mornings.
Just the other day, I got this note from Laura Miller, a reader:
Our head is freezing! Even with the boat heated the toilet seat is miserable. We bought these and my husband and I are now loving our boat again!!!!
What did she buy? A soft and warm toilet seat cover. Don’t be put off by some of the reviews that say it’s a little small — most boat toilet seats are a little smaller than those for homes and are virtually never the large elongated ones. (Obviously, these won’t work if your toilet has a molded-in seat, such as our Nature’s Head.)
The toilet seat cover comes in a 3- or 6-pack on Amazon and is washable:
The material is stretchy to fit various seat shapes. Laura says to be sure to take a look at the installation pictures from Amazon as it’s not totally intuitive and instructions are not included.
Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
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Gayle Fox says
The pain is real lol. Thank you sweetness for this remedy
The Boat Galley says
Even here where it’s 50-ish, it’s chilly.
Angie Morales says
We live in PNW and yes the toilet seat is super cold, but I pass on this. Just another thing to wash. The seat can be a wake up ha ha.
Klaus von Horsten says
why then do you keep the seat outside, next to the main???
The Boat Galley says
Ours isn’t outside.
Kelly Jones says
Gross lol
The Boat Galley says
It doesn’t get any “dirtier” than your toilet seat . . . and that isn’t dirty, is it?
Hanuman Novak says
I cannot help but think that a ceramic seat with a heating element would be better than this, and definitely easier to keep clean.
The Boat Galley says
Not many boats have the power for a heated seat 🙂 And it really doesn’t get “dirty” — no more so than the toilet seat itself, which you would otherwise be sitting on.
Hanuman Novak says
Having been in the Navy, I can attest to the wonderful waking up power of a very cold toilet seat (stainless steel at that) on ship. I need to remember the context of the application as well, I’ve been land-bound too long.
Lucy Claiborne says
We are wintering in Florida, but the trek down the ICW was cold and right now we are freezing! I literally dread the cold toilet seat. Carolyn, you are amazing 🙂
Donna Chiappini says
I literally froze my tush off this last weekend and each time I screamed when I sat down and said something had be made to fix this. LOL So here it is!!! THANK YOU!!!
Linda Anderson says
Look about it getting dirty thats silly. If you do wash it’s small. This gave me an idea. Make your own tush warmer like a steering wheel cover only larger! DIY✔
Liz Adams says
That’s decadent!
The Boat Galley says
Happy tush = happy cruising!
Kathy Belanger-Barber says
We have a lamp in our head it keeps the head tolerable
The Boat Galley says
You must be on shore power!
Kathy Belanger-Barber says
Yes won’t do Virginia Winters on the hook.
Mike Merriman says
The only thing worse than a cold toilet seat is a warm toilet seat
MaryBeth Lambert says
I just don’t think the cool toilet seat is that big of deal.
Dave Skolnick (S/V Auspicious) says
I don’t think those concerned with cleanliness are worried about the top. It’s splashback on the bottom that leads to very regular washing. Just not okay as a solution for me.
Putting an Espar heat outlet in the head pointed at the seat is lovely.
Carolyn Shearlock says
I get that, but I don’t notice splashback on the bottom of the seat when cleaning the toilet, period. So I don’t think it would be a problem.
Laura Miller says
Hi y’all,
I too had concerns about the “cleanliness “ of a cloth cover and in a house I have never had one of these. But both my husband and I served in the military (26 for me, 16 for him) and we have decided no more cold/suffering!!! If it means one more thing in the wash, so be it – there are 3 in a pack. Besides our toilet has 3 little “feet” that keep the cover from resting directly on the rim, so really, unless you have IBS, you are not likely to get a lot of splash back or filth on it – in our experience.
But we also have a generator, AC, a HWH and a microwave, so perhaps we are not the best couple to take advice from?
Donna Chiappini says
I ordered mine and will be using this weekend. Just one more thing to wash. And your right “no more cold/suffering”. lol
Florian Wolf says
Well – can someone please design an “ice-cooled” toilet seat for the tropics in Far North Queensland ? Even in winter it is b.f. hot here, anything “plush” is covered in mildew within weeks (and that cannot be good for the butt, eh ?).
E.H. Gustafson says
Styrofoam would likely work for keeping cool down-under as well. And again, easy to keep clean.
E.H. Gustafson says
The cure for our land-locked outhouse in not-always-balmy Maine is a styrofoam ring. Perfect size and much easier to clean at anchor, splashback and all. An old throw ring will work or one can be crafted out of a re-purposed cooler. Warm as toast!
Jackie Bartz says
We used a similar cover on the seat at home for years.
And, at our cabin in northern Wisconsin, my Mom and I used to just have Dady go use the outhouse first to warm up the seat. That worked too!!!
Donna Chiappini says
I had to post. This seat cover is the bomb. No more screaming in the middle of the night too. Highly recommend and easy to install. Thanks for telling me about it.
The Boat Galley says
Thanks so much for posting! <3
Lizabeth Rose says
Nope, I live aboard in Pacific Northwest and would rather not have this. Just grin and bear it! Seems like it would just be a hassle and unsanitary.