Had a tenant call me at 2am once because their “new and improved” rubber ring had failed on a slightly uneven floor. Water everywhere, of course. I’ve tried those rings myself, but honestly, wax just seems to forgive more mistakes—especially in these old houses where nothing is square. Scraping up the old wax isn’t fun, but it’s still less hassle than dealing with a surprise leak. Maybe if I ever redo the subfloor I’ll reconsider, but for now, wax is my go-to too.
Had a similar experience, but mine was at 4am and I was half-asleep trying to mop up the mess. Those rubber rings always sound great in theory, but in practice—especially with old, uneven floors—they just don’t cut it for me. Wax is messy, sure, but at least it’s predictable. I’ve tried the “no-mess” waxless ones too, and they just never seem to seal right unless everything’s perfectly level... which is never the case in my house. Maybe if I ever gut the bathroom and start from scratch, I’ll give them another shot, but for now, I’m sticking with what works—even if it means scraping wax every time.
I hear you on the “no-mess” rings. Tried them once, and it leaked within a week—total waste of money for me. Wax is gross, but at least I know what I’m dealing with. Honestly, for old houses, tried-and-true beats fancy every time.
Wax is gross, but at least I know what I’m dealing with.
Yeah, the wax is messy, but at least it works. I tried one of those “clean” rings too—ended up with water under the floorboards. Never again. Old house, old tricks, I guess.
I get the wax thing—sticky, messy, and you’re left with that weird residue on your hands for days. But honestly, I’ve had better luck with the newer rubber rings. Maybe it’s just my luck or the fact that my house isn’t quite as ancient, but I haven’t had a single leak since switching. Plus, no more scraping fossilized wax off the floor when things go sideways. Guess it’s one of those “your mileage may vary” situations...
