You never knew you needed a toilet light—but you do! (2024)

While bidets may be one of the more popular toilet accessories, a toilet light is quickly becoming a close second. Before you write it off as just another fad, consider that a toilet bowl light can help increase bathroom safety, style, and cleanliness. You may think a toilet light isn’t for you, but hear us out.

What is a toilet light?

Simple in design and concept, a toilet light is exactly what it sounds like; a light for your toilet. Becoming increasingly popular since the IllumiBowl debuted on Shark Tank, there are now hundreds of competing motion-activated toilet lights on the market with features like UV sterilization, aromatherapy scents, and color-changing LEDs. Toilet lights are available individually or in packs of two or more.

• Chunace 16-Color Toilet Night Light on Amazon for $9
• Sunnest Toilet Night Light on Amazon for $9
• Motion Sensor Light for Toilet with Aromatherapy on Amazon for $11

How does a toilet light work?

Toilet lights use built-in motion sensors to turn the light on when you lift the lid or move nearby if the lid is already in an upright position. Since most toilet lights are sensor-based, the light automatically shuts off after a certain period of time once it no longer detects motion. Some toilet bowl lights can be left on all day long while others dim when you leave the room, but don’t turn off completely.

Toilet lights don’t offer millions of color options like smart bulbs and LED light strips, but you’ve got a rainbow of possibilities at your fingertips with options like red, green, blue, and yellow. Most lights have a button on the side that allows you to choose between one color or rotate through all of them.

Powered by disposable or rechargeable batteries, you don’t need a construction license to add a toilet bowl light to your bathroom, making it an easy project to tackle after work or while the kids are at school.

Most toilet lights have an adjustable arm that hooks onto the side of the bowl and is placed underneath the toilet seat. Some models rely on adhesive or suction cups, which can be a better option if you have a uniquely shaped toilet bowl.

Why do you need a toilet light?

From the young to the old, the benefits of a toilet light are as easy to see as an illuminated toilet in the dark. Toilet lights can help potty-training toddlers see in the dark during middle-of-the-night bathroom trips. After all, you don’t want to get blinded by the bright LEDs in your bathroom at 2 a.m. Even worse, waking up your sleeping household with your overhead high beams.

With a toilet light, the mood stays sleepy, the scariness of a darkened room melts away, and the bathroom stays functional for a little person who hasn’t yet perfected using the toilet, let alone using a toilet in the dark. Plus, kids love the fun colors, which can help ease any toilet fears.

The lights can be just as beneficial for adults who don’t want to wake up sleeping partners on their way to the bathroom. Pregnant people, senior citizens, and others who need a little extra help finding their way to the bathroom at night can benefit from toilet lights, too.

Some toilet lights also claim to clean your bowl while lighting the way. For example, the Evekare UV Toilet Sanitizer with LED Night Light White says it can rid your toilet of almost all—99.9%—of germs and fungi. The UV light activates when the toilet lid is closed and it can be recharged using the included USB cable. It’s a pretty bold claim, but why not spring for some extra sanitization that might lead to a cleaner bathroom?

There are also aromatherapy toilet lights, which work similarly to diffusers by dispensing pleasant smells like lemon to keep your bathroom smelling fresh.

A toilet light is a small investment that can improve the safety, cleanliness, and functionality of your bathroom. Not to mention, with a color-changing toilet light, your toilet will be the best looking one on the block.

• Evekare UV Toilet Sanitizer with LED Night Light White at Target for $25
• Illumibowl Motion-Activated Bathroom Light at Walmart for $18

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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.