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first thing is figure out if its clean water or waste water. dry everything real good with paper towels then press a fresh dry towel against the base in a few spots. if its clear and doesnt smell its probably tank to bowl gasket or the supply connection seeping down. if it has any color or smell its more likely the wax ring or a cracked bowl. for the clean water case check the tank bolts and the big gasket between tank and bowl when you flush, sometimes it only leaks during a flush. for the wax ring youd have to pull the toilet so shut the supply valve and drain the tank first. second thing check the bottom of the tank for condensation if its humid where you are, that can dribble down and look like a base leak.

i dealt with this last summer and it ended up being the wax ring had shifted. no smell at first but the water was definitely coming from under the toilet not the tank. pulling the toilet isnt super hard but its heavy. turn off the valve, flush to empty, sponge out the rest from the tank and bowl. unbolt the floor bolts and rock it side to side to break the seal. scrape off the old wax, put a new ring on the flange, set it straight down dont twist. if you have to caulk the base after, a lot of folks say leave a gap at the back so youll see a leak next time instead of it hiding and rotting the floor.

just to add to what the others said, if the floor feels spongy or tiles are loose near the toilet you might already have subfloor damage and its time to call a plumber. same if you pull the toilet and the flange is cracked or rusted out, thats beyond a diy wax ring fix.

thats usually either debris stuck under the fill valve seal or the float is set too high so water keeps spilling into the overflow tube. pop the lid and look down the overflow tube in the middle. if water is trickling over it, twist the adjustment screw or pinch the clip on the float rod to lower the water level about half an inch below the top of that tube. if the level is fine, turn off the supply valve behind the toilet first. then pop the cap off the fill valve (some twist, some have a snap ring). cup your hand over the top of the exposed stem and turn the water back on real quick to flush out any grit. if the seal under the cap looks crusty or warped you can clean it with a rag or replace that little rubber disc. put it back together and see if it stops.

foghorn noise is classic for a fill valve seal vibrating. my cheap fix is the same as above but if cleaning it doesnt work it might just be worn out and you replace the whole fill valve assembly. its like a fifteen minute job and theyre universal. shut off the water, drain the tank by holding the flush lever down, unscrew the supply line from underneath the toilet, then undo the plastic nut holding the old valve. pull it out, drop the new one in, snug it up, and reconnect. just make sure the new one is set to the right height before you tighten everything.

a few things can cause that and most are pretty simple to check. first, run a little water into any nearby floor drains or sinks you haven't used in a while, the p-trap can dry out and let gas leak up. next, have a real close look at the wax ring under your toilet. if the toilet rocks at all when you nudge it with your knee, the seal might be compromised. if it is, you'd need to pull the toilet and replace the wax ring. you'll want to shut off the supply and drain the tank before pulling it. i'd also check the condition of the toilet bolts, if they're loose you might be getting some movement that's breaking the seal. if the base is caulked, some folks leave a gap at the back so you can spot a leak before it does floor damage, and others caulk all the way around to stop odors—either way, if the wax ring's gone bad, caulk alone won't fix it. if you've got a multi-fixture backup or the odor is stronger when you run a sink or shower, that points to a vent or drain line issue and you'd want a plumber at that point.

definitely sniff around the tank too. sometimes the water sitting in the bowl can get a little stale if the bathroom doesn't get used much, but if the smell is coming from inside the tank you might have some bacteria buildup under the rim or in the overflow tube. a good scrub up under the rim with a brush and checking that the little holes are flowing clear can help. if the smell is persistent and you've ruled out a dry trap and a bad wax ring, it could be a cracked flange or even a crack in the toilet porcelain that's letting sewer gas seep out. those are harder to spot and you'd want a plumber to take a look.

thanks, i forgot about the floor drain tucked behind the pedestal sink. just ran a bucket of water down it and i'm gonna air out the room and see if that does it. the toilet doesn't rock at all so hopefully it's just a dry trap.

that's a classic slow leak from the tank into the bowl, usually the flapper at the bottom of the tank. over time the rubber gets stiff or warped and doesn't seal tight anymore. water seeps past it, the float drops, and the fill valve kicks in to top it back off. pop the lid, drop a couple drops of food coloring in the tank water and don't flush for 20 minutes. if colored water shows up in the bowl you've found the culprit. turn off the supply valve, drain the tank by flushing, unhook the old flapper and take it to the hardware store to match the size and type. sometimes the flush valve seat where the flapper sits gets crusty too—wipe it down with a rag and some white vinegar before you install the new one. if the food coloring test doesn't show a leak, the fill valve itself might be the problem, but start with the flapper since it's cheap and easy.

could also be the fill valve is set too high. if the water level overflows the top of the open tube in the center, it'll constantly trickle down and the valve will cycle forever trying to maintain it. the water line should be about a half inch below the top of that overflow tube, there's usually a mark on the tank or you can just eyeball it. adjust the float—if it's an old ball on an arm you bend the rod down a little, if it's a newer one there's a screw or a pinch clip on the side of the valve stem. while you're in there check that the refill tube isn't shoved all the way down into the overflow, it should be clipped to the top and aimed in, not sealed down in there where it could siphon water out.

just to add to the first answer—if you do the dye test and the water's clear but it's still cycling, feel the fill valve cap. sometimes the diaphragm seal inside gets mineral gunk and doesn't shut off fully. you can usually twist the cap off (quarter turn) and rinse the seal under the faucet. if it's torn or real stiff, time for a new fill valve. but turn the water off first obviously or you'll take a shower in the bathroom.

usually the plastic bolts that go through the bowl have just worked themselves loose over time. flip open those little caps at the back of the seat hinges, you might need a flathead screwdriver to pop them up. underneath you'll see the bolt heads, most are a slotted screw or sometimes you need a wrench on a nut underneath the bowl. try tightening them evenly on both sides until the seat stops sliding. if the bolts just spin and won't grab, the nylon threads inside are stripped and you'll need a replacement bolt kit from the hardware store, which is way cheaper than a new seat.

if tightening doesn't stick and the bolts are metal, check if the rubber grommets have gone hard and flattened out. those little cone-shaped washers that wedge into the holes on the porcelain lose their grip after a few years. you can try flipping them over or just replacing them with new soft rubber ones. that alone fixed my seat wobble for good.

thanks, i'll give that a shot. if the plastic hinges themselves snapped would i be able to tell just by looking or would it be like a hairline crack?

that condensation is from cold well water or the ac chilling the floor below making the tank a cold drink on a muggy day. the real fix is to temper the incoming water. you can install a mixing valve that feeds a little hot into the toilet supply line so the tank water isn't ice cold. they make valves just for this that tee into the sink hot under the vanity. tank wraps and liners are also a thing you can stick inside but you gotta get the tank bone dry and it's pretty fiddly with the flush valve in there.

yeah its just physics, the tank gets cold from the flush refill and the humid air hits it. one thing you can do is check if the flapper is leaking even a tiny bit. a constant trickle of cold water into the bowl makes the tank refill over and over and keeps it colder than it needs to be. put a few drops of food coloring in the tank water and don't flush for 20 minutes, see if it seeps into the bowl. if it does a new flapper is cheap and might cut down some of the sweat.

drip tray under it is what my aunt uses in the summer. the mixing valve thing sounds like a project but i might try it. thanks.

sounds like a partial clog in the drain line or a venting issue. The gurgling is usually air getting trapped and pushing back up through the trap. First thing i'd do is give it a good plunge with a flange plunger, make sure you've got a good seal and go at it for a solid minute. If that doesn't clear it, you might need to snake it with a toilet auger to break up whatever's stuck further down. Also take a peek at your vent pipe on the roof if you can safely get up there—sometimes leaves or a dead bird block it and cause weird air pressure problems. Just don't dump any chemicals in there, they won't fix a vent or a hard clog and you'll just have a caustic mess.

could be the fill valve acting up too, if it's not sealing right it can kind of shudder and send bubbles through the rim jets. take the lid off and watch it during a flush, see if the noise is coming from the tank or the bowl. if it's the tank, might just need a new flapper or fill valve seal. but if the bubbly is definitely from the bowl, i'd lean towards drain/vent like the other poster said.

i plunged it like crazy and a bunch of gross stuff came up but now it's flushing normal again. thanks yall

sounds like you might have something lodged past the trap that a plunger is just pushing around. grab a closet auger, you can get one at any hardware store. shut the water off at the valve behind the toilet first, just to be safe, then feed the auger in and crank it slowly. when you feel resistance, keep turning, don't just jab it. you'll probably hear a pop or feel it break through. then turn the water back on and test flush a couple times. if it's still slow after that, the blockage might be further down the drain, but start with the auger before you call anyone.

i had the exact same scenario and it turned out to be a kids toy jammed in the trap. a plunger wouldn't dislodge it because it was caught on the curve. the auger hooked it and i pulled it right out. just don't use any chemicals down there, they won't dissolve plastic or rubber and you'll just have a caustic mess to work around. if you don't see improvement after augering, you might have a partial blockage in the main drain, but one thing at a time.

update: grabbed an auger like you both said and you were right, pulled out a toothbrush that had been in there who knows how long. flushes perfect now, thanks!

Pretty easy job. Turn off the supply at the shutoff valve first and flush to relieve pressure. The kit tees off between the shutoff and the tank fill valve. Hand tighten the connections then just a nudge with a wrench, these fittings are plastic and crack if you crank them. Turn the water back on slowly and watch every joint for a minute or two for drips before you call it done. If your shutoff valve is old and crusty and will not fully close, replace that first.

The shutoff was a little stiff but held. Installed fine, no leaks after watching it a while. Thanks.

Sewer smell at a toilet usually comes from one of a few places. A dried out or failing wax ring letting gas up around the base, a loose tank to bowl connection, or a dried out trap in a nearby floor drain. Start by checking if the toilet rocks at all and run a tissue around the base after a flush to check for seepage. If the base is solid and dry, look for other drains that might have dried out and pour a cup of water down them. If the smell is strong or persistent it can be a venting issue and that is worth a plumber.

There is a floor drain in the laundry we never use. Poured water down it and the smell is fading. Might have been that. Thank you.