It’s easy to remove a flange but not so easy to move a one hundred pound toilet off the drainpipe. In addition to screwdrivers, adjustable wrench, putty knife and a shop vac to clean up afterward, you might need someone to help you move the toilet to avoid damaging floor tile–or your back!
First, turn off the water supply to the toilet. Turn the knob behind the toilet clockwise to turn off the water. Most toilet water supply knobs are located close to the baseboard.
Flush the toilet repeatedly until the tank and toilet bowl are both empty. If you can’t get all the water out, use a sponge to soak up any excess water.
Remove nuts at the base of the toilet with the adjustable wrench. Nuts are located on both sides of the toilet.
Once nuts are removed, begin gently and slowly rocking the toilet to disengage the wax seal. (This is where you will need assistance).
Once you’ve broken the seal, lift the toilet up off the floor and move it aside.
Scrape away the wax seal using a putty knife. Also, scrape off any wax seal sticking to the toilet’s underside.
Unscrew the toilet flange to remove it. Save screws that are in good condition. Use new ones if the old screws are corroded or ground down. Old or badly damaged flanges may need to be pried out using a hammer and chisel. In some cases, really stubborn flanges should be cut and pieced using a power tool. After completely removing the old toilet flange, use your shop vac to clean away debris.
Take the old flange with you when buying a new one at a hardware store. If shopping online for a new flange, measure the bottom and top diameters to ensure you order the correctly sized flange