A soft-close hinge is a damped hinge mechanism fitted to toilet seats, kitchen units and bathroom cabinets that controls the closing motion so that the seat or door drops slowly and silently into place. It avoids the noise and impact that can damage seats, pans and joinery over time. UK toilet seat hinges with soft-close action follow the general performance requirements of BS EN 19694. Most modern replacement seats in Greater London bathrooms come supplied with soft-close hinges as standard, with quick-release fittings that allow the seat to be removed for cleaning. The damping mechanism uses sealed oil or air chambers and is generally not user serviceable. When the damping fails, replacement of the entire hinge or the seat is the usual remedy.
Soft-close hinge
Damped hinge that lowers a toilet seat or lid slowly to avoid slamming.
