Ring around toilet bowl base

[Teresa P]

I have a ring around the base of my toilet that keeps getting darker.

I've cleaned the floor with all kinds of cleaners but the ring keeps coming back.

Is there something else I need to be doing?

[home improvement guy]

There are a few things that can cause a ring to form around the base of the toilet bowl. One is simply a failure to clean regularly, but this is not the problem you are having.

Another is condensation forming on the cold porcelain of the toilet and collecting on the floor, but the most likely cause is a loose connection between the bowl and the sewer flange.

The toilet bowl is attached to the floor with two bolts, one on each side of the bowl. If the bolts were not tightened properly, the bowl can move each time it is used. Over time the movement can cause a leak to form where the wax ring seals the neck on the porcelain bowl to the flange on the sewer pipe at the floor.

You can check to see if the bowl is loose by facing the toilet and placing your knees or hands against the sides of the bowl. If you can rock or move the bowl, then there is a problem. When I find this problem, I advise the client to have the toilet wax ring replaced. This may require a plumber because of the amount of water that has to be removed and the weight of the toilet that has to be moved without doing additional damage.

If the ring has been leaking for a long time, the floor under the toilet may be damaged as well. There should be access to the floor from a crawl space or basement. From there, the flooring can be easily repaired without having to replace the bathroom floor covering. Brace the decayed flooring from underneath and replace the toilet flange using longer and stronger bolts. A new wax ring is installed, and the toilet is reinstalled on the new ring.