Curious—do you usually replace the wax ring every time, or only if it looks bad? I’ve seen both camps argue about it...
I’m firmly in the “replace it every time” camp, mostly because the one time I didn’t, I ended up with a surprise science experiment under my bathroom floor. Wax rings are cheap, and honestly, I’d rather not gamble with mystery leaks. Also, love the baby powder trick—never thought of that, but it’s way more eco-friendly than half the stuff I’ve tried. Blue shop towels are great, but I’ll admit, I’ve used old t-shirts in a pinch.
I get where you’re coming from—wax rings are one of those things that seem too cheap to risk skipping, but I’ll admit I’ve been guilty of the “if it ain’t broke” mindset before. That said, the last time I tried to reuse one, it looked fine… until a slow leak warped my subfloor. Lesson learned. Now I keep a spare on hand just in case.
I like your point about the baby powder trick—never would’ve thought of that either. I usually try to avoid anything with harsh chemicals, so I’ve used cornstarch for similar stuff (works in a pinch). And yeah, blue shop towels are great, but old t-shirts have saved me more than once—plus, it feels good to give them a second life before they hit the rag bag.
Funny how these little DIY fixes end up teaching us more about what *not* to do next time.
Funny how these little DIY fixes end up teaching us more about what *not* to do next time.
That’s the truth. I once tried to “save” a wax ring by reheating it with a hair dryer—total fail, and the mess was worse than just replacing it. Old towels and t-shirts are my go-to too. It’s weirdly satisfying seeing them get one last use before the compost pile.
I tried to reuse a wax ring once too, except I thought maybe if I just pressed it back into shape, it’d work fine. Spoiler: it didn’t. Ended up with a slow leak that took me way too long to notice. Honestly, I’ve learned it’s just not worth trying to save a few bucks on stuff like that. At least the old t-shirts soak up everything while you panic and Google what to do next.
At least the old t-shirts soak up everything while you panic and Google what to do next.
- Been there, done that—t-shirts and towels everywhere.
- Tried the “reshape the wax ring” trick too, but yeah, it just doesn’t seal right after it’s been compressed.
- For a few bucks, a new ring saves a lot of hassle (and water damage).
- I’ve heard some folks swear by those wax-free rubber rings. Anyone tried those? Wondering if they’re worth the extra few dollars or if it’s just marketing.
- Also, curious if anyone’s had luck reusing the closet bolts or if that’s another “just replace it” situation.
