How to Replace a Toilet Wax Ring

Locate the shut-off valve on the wall behind or beside the toilet and turn it fully clockwise. Hold the flush handle down for 10 seconds to empty the tank and bowl as completely as possible. Use a sponge or shop vacuum to remove every last bit of water from both the tank and the bowl — any water left behind will dump onto your floor when you lift the toilet. Disconnect the water supply line from the bottom of the tank with an adjustable wrench, catching drips in a small cup.

Pry off the plastic or ceramic caps at the base of the toilet on each side with a flathead screwdriver — they usually pop off with light pressure. Underneath you'll see the closet bolts with nuts and washers. Use an adjustable wrench to loosen each nut counterclockwise. If a bolt spins in place or a nut is rust-welded, cut the bolt off with a mini hacksaw — you're replacing the bolts anyway. Set the nuts, washers, and caps aside where you can find them.

Straddle the toilet, grip it firmly under the bowl rim with both hands, and rock it gently side to side to break the old wax seal — you'll feel it release with a soft crack. With a helper, lift the toilet straight up, keeping it level so any remaining water in the trap stays inside. Carry it to a pre-laid bed of old towels or cardboard and set it on its side — do not tip it onto the back of the tank, which can crack. Immediately stuff a clean rag into the open drain pipe to block sewer gas.

Put on nitrile gloves. Use a stiff putty knife to scrape every trace of old wax off the flange on the floor and off the horn (the ceramic outlet) on the bottom of the toilet. The wax is sticky and smears — work it into a ball on the putty knife and drop it into a trash bag. Both mating surfaces must be bare porcelain and metal/PVC before the new ring goes on or the new seal won't compress evenly. Wipe both surfaces with a rag and disinfectant cleaner to remove residue.

With the flange clean, look closely for cracks, broken ears (the slotted wings that hold the closet bolts), rust on cast iron, or the flange sitting below the finished floor level. The flange must sit flush with or slightly above the finished floor for the wax to seal properly. A cracked flange must be repaired before you set the toilet — a $6 metal repair ring bolts over most broken flanges. If the flange sits below the floor (common after new tile), use an extender ring or a thick wax ring with a horn.

Remove the rag from the drain pipe just before you set the ring. Slide the new brass closet bolts into the slots on the flange so they stand upright pointing up through where the toilet holes will sit — the oval-headed end goes in the slot, and a plastic or brass retainer washer holds them vertical. Unwrap the new wax ring and set it directly onto the flange, centered over the drain. If the ring has a plastic horn (a funnel), the horn points down into the drain pipe. Do not press the wax ring onto the toilet first — this makes alignment much harder.

With a helper, lift the toilet and hold it directly above the flange, aligning the two holes in the base with the upright closet bolts. Lower it slowly and straight down in one smooth motion — do not rock or tilt, as that deforms the wax and breaks the seal before it even starts. Once the base is touching the ring, sit on the toilet with your full body weight and rock gently side to side for 10-15 seconds. Your weight compresses the wax until the porcelain base rests flat on the finished floor.

Slip the new plastic washers and nuts onto each bolt and hand-tighten. Then, using the adjustable wrench, alternate sides a quarter turn at a time to draw the toilet down evenly — uneven tightening twists the porcelain and cracks it. Stop tightening the moment you feel firm resistance and the toilet no longer rocks. The bolts should snug the toilet to the floor, not clamp it down. If the bolts stick up higher than the caps, cut them flush with a hacksaw, then snap the bolt caps on.