...because home doesn't happen overnight.

I shared the main bathroom last week but I have one little dirty secret left to reveal. Remember how we accidentally broke the original toilet during renovation and replaced it with a sleek dual flush? Well, during the install Steve discovered the perfect toilet wax ring. The twist? It’s actually wax-free.

waxless toilet ring

The Sani Seal waxless gasket is made of flexible polyurethane foam that is waterproof and chemical-proof. It is unique in that it can be repositioned an infinite number of times. With traditional wax rings you have one chance to get it right and they must be replaced every time the seal is broken. Also, there are holes in the foam ring that allow it to slip down over the anchoring bolts making one-person installation a cinch. It works with all different sizes of flanges and even flange extenders. (Our install required three extenders plus hidden brackets, and the Sani Seal worked great. I wish I would have snapped some pics.) The biggest culprit of leaky toilets is rocking, or movement of the toilet on uneven flooring. The Sani Seal is a quick and easy fix for this problem. If you’re curious, here’s a demo video.

As much as I like pretty pictures, I’m a sucker for any clever product that makes DIY home improvement easier. While this ring is a bit more expensive up front (it’s roughly double the cost of a traditional wax ring), it pays for itself in the long run. We’ll never use a wax ring again!

Have you tried a waxless toilet ring? Will you?

*This post is not sponsored. Just sharing golden nuggets as I find ’em.

image: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

24 Comments

10.February.2015

We just installed one of these too! So far, so good. And so much easier to deal with than a sticky wax ring.

10.February.2015

I felt pretty unsexy pinning this, but thanks for sharing this great tip!

10.February.2015

Genius! Why are these not the standard? Seems like such a better option! I mean, $12 for headache free installation seems like such a no-brainer. Filing this away for when we renovate our bathroom. Thanks!

10.February.2015

I have always thought wax rings to be the most antiquated home diy product, but never thought to look for an alternate. Any thoughts of this other product?

http://www.amazon.com/Fernco-Inc-FTS-3-3-Inch-Toilet/dp/B000BQUJEA/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_text_y#customerReviews

We have 2 toilets to replace soon and I think a non-wax option would be awesome!

10.February.2015

I don’t understand anything in this post! :-) Guess I won’t be diying a toilet install anytime soon!

10.February.2015

That’s exactly what my husband and I used for our master bath toilet. It was sooo much easier than the wax ring. Too bad we only found out about it on our third trip back to the store after two failed wax rings.

10.February.2015

We had to replace the wax ring on our main bath toilet and I considered buying this product! My husband “didn’t trust it” so we ended up going with a traditional wax ring (well, 2 of them to be precise). Next time we will use this!

This is a great idea since the wax rings tend breakdown and leak. I have replaced a few and getting all that goo off the flange is no fun. Keep us posted on how this one wears over time, I’d be interested to know.

11.February.2015

I know, it seems too good to be true. I’ll let you know how it holds up over time!

11.February.2015

We don’t have any experience with that particular product but a few things jump out at first glance. 1) You must order the correct size. 2) It looks like adhesive is involved so you probably won’t have as much leeway in setting the toilet. Let us know if you try it and how it works out!

11.February.2015

Haha! You’re welcome.

11.February.2015

Our bathroom has a floor-level vent coming out of the vanity, and the floors get super-toasty! I love it, BUT each winter, we get a little more wax squishing out of our toilet bolt caps — the heat is melting them! This might be a worthwhile switch-out down the road — thanks for the tip!

11.February.2015

I love this! I work with rental properties and I can’t tell you how many wax rings we go through a year. This makes perfect sense! Let us know if you find any reason not to use it!

I love this idea. I’ve had to replace a few toilets in my time and this will be remembered for next time for sure.

11.February.2015

Could you tell me the dimensions of this bathroom? Thanks!

11.February.2015

If you’re looking for a downside, it’s that polyurethane foam is made of toxic chemicals (that off-gas, although I’m not sure that’s a factor when it’s buried under the toilet) and are not safe for the people who make them. Wax rings aren’t made by bees (anymore) but rather a petroleum wax that’s as inert as petroleum jelly.

12.February.2015

I know there have been a lot of comments on the toilet, but I just wanted to say I LOVE the juxtaposition of the modern and the vintage. Way to push the design envelope!

12.February.2015

My husband thanks you, and wishes he’d know this 3 toilet installations earlier!

12.February.2015

It’s roughly 5′ x 7′.

12.February.2015

I tried one of these in my most recent toilet installation, and after three weeks the seal broke and I had to get a plumber out…ended up going back to the wax ring, gross as it is. I hope your holds up better, I’d love to hear an update down the road!

15.February.2015

We installed a sani-seal ring about 8 months ago and so far so good. P.s. Your bathroom looks great!

05.March.2015

Hi Dana! Did you use some kind of caulking material to seal around the base of the toilet seat?

09.March.2015

Clear silicone!

25.July.2018

It’s now about three years since your post. How is the Sani Seal holding up?