New toilet wax ring smells similar to mothballs

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Italian2Go

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I installed a new toilet this past weekend on a tile floor and used a new Ace Hardware brand wax ring with a collar. Now the inside toilet bowl smells like mothballs when I lift the cover. It is not 'vent' odor which smells different, and the floor is not wet when I flush the toilet so I believe I have a good seal. I think the smell is coming from the substance that the wax is made of because I stored the ring inside a closet for about 6 hours before installation and when I opened the door, I smelled the same strong 'mothball' odor coming from the ring. Has anyone ever noticed a similar mothball odor coming from the wax substance, and more important, will the mothball smell coming up from the bowl eventually go away?
 

Peanut9199

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Air fresheners and toilet bowl deodorants often contain naphthalene and PDB, the common mothball ingredients.
Could it be this?
 

Italian2Go

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I think its the wax ring that smells

I think its just the wax substance that the ring is made from that is causing the odor. It smelled when I installed it. I was just hoping someone noticed the same smell during their install and could tell me if the smell eventually goes away.
 

Dunbar Plumbing

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Italian2Go said:
I think its just the wax substance that the ring is made from that is causing the odor. It smelled when I installed it. I was just hoping someone noticed the same smell during their install and could tell me if the smell eventually goes away.


Replace the ring if the smell continues to bother you. That smell shouldn't be getting past the trap seal though.
 

Verdeboy

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Caulk around the base of the toilet to seal out the smell there.

Make sure your toilet bolts are cut and capped.

Pour some nice smelling toilet bowl cleaner in the bowl and let it sit there for a while.
 

Geniescience

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yes, a smell will go away. Soon.

As hj said, the trap seal in the toilet bowl full of water will prevent that smell from the ring from rising too. It will. So, many are surprised to read that the smell is rising through the water in the bowl. Perhaps the smell is stronger at the base of the toilet instead.

In the meantime, the residual smell will dissipate soon. Go away. Reduce. Diminish. Disappear.


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