Fix A Loose Toilet Paper Holder For Good With A Simple Swap

One of the most common appliance issues both homeowners and renters inevitably face is none other than the pesky loose toilet paper rod. If you're unaware of the terminology, these are the mounts placed on walls to hold toilet paper. The trouble is most often caused by the cheap, plastic wall anchors these dispensers often come with which come loose over time. With routine usage, the vibration of spinning toilet paper can knock the anchors out of place. This can be a frustrating problem to deal with but luckily, there's an easy solution: simply use metal or nylon-based hollow wall anchors.

Now, if you don't consider yourself a handyman (or woman), don't worry. Fixing a loose toilet paper holder is one of the most basic DIY home improvement projects you can learn how to do, whether you rent or own. The fix is cheap, fast, and easy; involving removing the old plastic wall anchors, screwing a more efficient wall anchor in, and hanging the dispenser off of it.

It's fairly common for any type of product meant to be mounted to the wall to come with cheap, plastic hollow wall anchors (which is why it's not always safe to reuse existing wall mounts). While these may be cost-efficient for the companies that mass produce these items, they're not very efficient.

Because these anchors are made of cheap plastic, when you drill a screw into it too tightly it can cause the hold of the anchor in the wall to become stripped, making it to fall out of place with repeated use. Even though these anchors are designed to be screwed into drywall, they aren't built to withstand much pressure. They're honestly better used to prop up something light, like a painting. Now that we understand why these anchors aren't effective, what exactly should we use in their place, and how do we go about making the repair?

Hollow wall anchors made out of nylon or metal are far sturdier than cheap plastic ones and thus much harder to knock out of position after repeated use. It's really up to you whether you use premium nylon based drywall anchors or metal hollow wall anchors. These can be screwed into drywall or plaster with a screwdriver or a drill gun, although it's worth noting that a drill gun will ensure a better, tighter hold. If you don't own a drill gun, they can be rented at a local hardware store like Home Depot for pretty cheap. 

Once you've gathered your tools, you're going to fasten them into the wall. You should be able to drill them into the same holes as your previous anchor. If you want to drill a new hole in your wall, it's worth noting this isn't usually necessary and will require more work. If you do go for a new hole, make sure you know how to mud and tape drywall like a professional to plug the previous holes. Once the anchors have been placed, hang up your toilet paper holder and you're all done.