Renovation guides

How to remove a toilet, vanity and faucets yourself: step by step

Disconnect and carry out the toilet, vanity, sink, and faucets, then cap every open supply and plug the drain so nothing leaks and nothing comes up out of the floor.

Difficulty 2 of 5 · about half a day · you can do this

Photo of your room, the look you pick, then this guide with the materials counted for your room.

Step by step

1. Step 1 of 15

   Confirm water and power are off to this room

   The shutoff task comes first. A vanity light or an outlet in the backsplash means the circuit must be dead too.

2. Step 2 of 15

   Photograph everything before you touch it

   Under the sink, behind the toilet, the P-trap assembly. You will want to know what was there when you put it back.

3. Step 3 of 15

   Disconnect the supply lines at the faucet

   Bucket underneath. Loosen the nut at the angle stop first, then at the faucet tailpiece. Expect a cup of water from each line.

4. Step 4 of 15

   Back up the valve with a second wrench

   One wrench holds the valve body still while the other turns the nut. If the pipe rotates inside the wall, stop — that is a plumber's call.

5. Step 5 of 15

   Empty the toilet completely

   Close the stop, flush and hold the lever down, then sponge and shop-vac the tank and the bowl until they are dry. A toilet is heavy enough without the water.

6. Step 6 of 15

   Unbolt the closet bolts and break the seal

   Pop the caps, remove the nuts, then rock the bowl side to side to break the wax. Cut a seized bolt with a mini hacksaw or a multi-tool rather than twisting the porcelain.

7. Step 7 of 15

   Lift it straight up, then plug the flange immediately

   Two hands, knees bent, set it on cardboard. Then stuff a rag into the flange and tape over it, or set a test plug. Do this before you take a break.

8. Step 8 of 15

   Scrape the old wax off the flange

   Putty knife until the flange is bare metal or plastic. Bag the wax. Inspect the flange: cracked, or sitting below the finished floor, is a repair to schedule now.

9. Step 9 of 15

   Drop the P-trap into a bucket

   Loosen the slip nuts by hand where you can. The trap is full of water. Bag it if it is going in the trash.

10. Step 10 of 15

    Free the sink or top from the vanity

    Undrop-in sinks: cut the caulk bead at the counter. Undermount: support the bowl from below before you release the clips.

11. Step 11 of 15

    Cut the caulk and the paint line at the wall

    Utility knife along the top and the sides of the vanity where it meets the wall. This is what keeps the drywall paper intact.

12. Step 12 of 15

    Back out the cabinet screws and walk it out

    Usually two to four screws through the back rail into studs. Two people for anything with a stone top — the top comes off separately when you can.

13. Step 13 of 15

    Cap every open supply line

    Push-to-connect or threaded cap on each stub, hand tight plus a turn, with the stop still closed. Two closed things between the water and your room, not one.

14. Step 14 of 15

    Turn the water back on and watch for ten minutes

    Open the main again so the rest of the unit works, then stand there and look at every cap and stop with a dry paper towel. Any damp spot means it is not done.

15. Step 15 of 15

    Room is clear and sealed

    Everything out, every opening closed.

    Quality check

    • Toilet flange is plugged and taped; no sewer smell
    • Every sink and tub drain opening is plugged
    • Every supply stub is capped and the angle stop is closed
    • Water back on to the rest of the unit, no drips after ten minutes
    • No rot, mold, or leak staining found under the vanity or the toilet
    • Fixtures are out of the room and bagged or stacked for haul-out

Draft guide written from standard practice, not yet reviewed by a licensed pro. Follow product labels where they differ.

Español