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If you see water coming from the base of your toilet, you have a problem. Although many people think that simply caulking around the toilet will fix it, it won’t.
Water (a nice way to say waste) around the base of your toilet where it sits on the floor is an indication that the connection from the toilet to the drain is not secure. In most cases the wax ring has been breached by movement and is no longer molded to the horn of the toilet.
Beginners will just think that they just have to stuff some caulking in between the floor and bottom of the toilet. If it lasts, it’s just going to trap the waste around the perimeter of the toilet’s base. The chances are good though that the waste will continue to seep out.
You will need to replace the wax ring and floor bolts that hold the toilet to the floor. This involves lifting the toilet and scraping up the old ring. Here is an article on replacing a wax ring and toilet bolts.
When you reset the toilet back down, I like to use plaster of paris instead of caulking. Check to make sure that it is allowed, but it has a good open time to work with and when you set the toilet base into it, it fills all of the voids. A wet sponge or rag will wipe away the excess and make for a perfect finish.
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