# Removing a Toilet **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 28, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-toilet/607674 "2011-12-28T23:31:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-toilet/607674/1 "2011-12-28T23:31:24Z")
I am trying to replace a toilet in my powder room. I have the water whut off at the valve, drained the tank bone dry, and drained the bowl with a turkey baster we won’t need again until next year. 😉 Anyway, as I loosen the second of two nuts securing the toilet to the floor OR when I lift the toilet out, should I expect residual water (that I cannot access) to come pouring out? If so, how do I minimize the flash flood? How do the professionals do it to minimize damage? Thanks! - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-toilet/607674/2 "2011-12-28T23:35:44Z")
No, just tilt it forward, and use the baster to remove the rest of the water. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-toilet/607674/3 "2011-12-28T23:37:32Z")
Will do… I was just going to lift it straight up and off. But, I guess you’re saying I can hold (most of) the water back by tiliting the toilet before total removal. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-toilet/607674/4 "2011-12-29T00:01:13Z")
You can just put a towel on the floor. Not that much will come out even if you tilt it back. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-toilet/607674/5 "2011-12-29T00:31:13Z")
1. Ok, I got that solved. Actually, to my surprise, there was no residual water. It all went down into the “P” trap, or beyond. Anyway, another question… 2. Is my understanding of the next steps correct? The new toilet has a “wax ring” to be hand-pressed onto the bottom (underside) of the bowl where the tailpipe (my term for this) exits the bowl. The old toilet has more of a rubber seal with the old bolts penetrating through it. So, I assume: a) I remove the existing rubber seal b) Insert new bolts into the existing flange, if it is in good shape - OR - use a new “super flange” which, as I understand it, will mate or clamp around the old. c) Last, lower the new toilet in place by “applying weight” to seat the toilet. And, the bolts will penetrate the new seal (wax ring), correct? Thanks in advance for the pointers. Wanna get this right to avoid disaster, although it’s not rocket science. - Jinx, Toilet Engineer ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-toilet/607674/6 "2011-12-29T01:41:36Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > So, I assume: > > a) I remove the existing rubber seal > b) Insert new bolts into the existing flange, if it is in good shape - OR - > use a new “super flange” which, as I understand it, will mate or clamp around the old. > c) Last, lower the new toilet in place by “applying weight” to seat the toilet. And, the bolts will penetrate the new seal (wax ring), correct? a) yes remove the rubber seal. Wax rings are always better than rubber they form a better seal. b)The flange should already be on pipe on the floor right ? If the bolts are in good shape use them c)gently rock the toilet into place. Bolts shouldn’t be penetrating the wax ring at all. d)do not over tighten the bolts, ceramic doesn’t react well to that. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-toilet/607674/7 "2011-12-29T03:17:09Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > The new toilet has a “wax ring” to be hand-pressed onto the bottom (underside) of the bowl where the tailpipe (my term for this) exits the bowl. My only experience with this is watching lots of episodes of This Old House and similar shows, but my understanding is that the wax ring is laid on the floor around the flange, not stuck to the underside of the toilet. See also [this step-by-step guide](http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,250406,00.html) from the This Old House people. ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-toilet/607674/8 "2011-12-29T08:36:25Z")
Good answers so far but I love your comment about not needing the turkey baster until next year. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-toilet/607674/9 "2011-12-29T11:01:44Z")
Most of your questions can be answered [here](http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=installing+a+toilet&oq=installing+a+toilet&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=1042l8332l0l9104l19l19l0l5l5l0l390l3804l0.3.5.6l14l0) or[here](http://www.terrylove.com/forums/forum.php). I speak from experience.