All screws rust over time, so you will inevitably encounter stubborn screws that require a little extra work to remove from old furniture or vehicles. The citric acid in the mix neutralizes the rust, notes Linda Cobb in her book "Talking Dirty With the Queen of Clean" (2004). You can use oxalic acid on really seriously rusted screws, but if the rust is that bad then likely the cross piece in the screw has deteriorated and it is not usable anyway. [ 1 Answers ] I have a toilet flange on a 4" cast iron pipe (c. 1955) that has rusted away to the extent that the flange lip has broken away, so the toilet bolts have nothing to hold on to. Similar to any metallic object, bolts are susceptible to rust. Put on a pair of rubber gloves and scrub the nuts and bolts with a brass brush. How to replace toilet bolts without removing toilet. My thought is that the rust has also taken out the wall of the screw in place. Your toilet’s seat has plastic nuts that attach to the bolts, which go through holes in the hinges on the toilet seat. I can get to … If you have more than a handful of rusty bolts to clean, this method is not ideal. Dyi rusted toilet flange? If I somehow succeed in removing the rusted bolts and replace them with new ones, ... (Other than removing the tank every x months/years just to clean the bolts.) There are times when the head of the bolt is too rusted to hold with the screwdriver. I am working on cleaning up a free bike that I got. Cleaned as much as possible, bought new 1/4" x 2-1/4" bolts but they won't grab. The nuts on some can seats are recessed and for all intents and purposes out of reach, making the activity considerably progressively troublesome. Click this link for more information. Toilet flange bolts spinning issues may happen for various reasons. Rusted bolts are a pain to both remove and install. To get the bolts out, you'd need to clean up the T-slot and slide it to the wide end at the T, then pull it out. If you wish to swap the toilet seat out for a new one, you must remove the nuts from the ends of the bolts, so you can remove the bolts and the toilet seat itself. If you are prone to pitching rusty nails and screws, you probably have always thought you were doing the safe, responsible thing. Let the nuts and bolts sit in the clean water for several minutes to rinse, and then dry thoroughly with clean towels. I'm thinking of just breaking ceramic parts of the toilet near those bolts, but afraid whole bowl might crack. When the bolts are rusted, it starts decaying the metal. I removed the seat so the hinges (which were metal) were easier to get to. As a result, it can’t hold the weight of the toilet seat and starts spinning inside the hole. The video does show how hard it is to remove old rusted bolts from a tank. Something that comes with "BRASS" bolts. The threads on a bolt are especially vulnerable to the damage caused by rust. in the bike repair videos they always grease the bolts before reinserting them, I was asking myself if this would work for the toilet tank as well. I need to change the wax ring on my toilet. If your toilet tank has recently come under fire from stubborn rust deposits, you'll be pleased to learn that they can be easily removed with the aid of a few common bathroom cleaning tools.Below are the steps that need to be taken in order for your toilet bowl to once again be rust free. These can be left for a day, and you should be left with clean and shiny bolts that are free of rust. Can you recommend a way to remove these bolts so I can install new bolts (and a new bowl to tank gasket). DonL, Aug 31, 2014 #4. When in doubt, you’ll need to remove the jolts with a hacksaw. Do not rub your eyes while dealing with vinegar. For rusted or corroded bolts that won't loosen from the toilet, you'll need to cut them out. I could not remove them to install new ones. Hi folks - I'm having difficult removing the anchor bolt/nut hardware from a toilet bowl. Turn the socket counterclockwise firmly to break the nut loose. Toilet anchor bolts hold your toilet to the floor and keep it connected to the flange, which is the opening to the waste line. E.g. Because the environment in a bathroom is so damp and humid, nuts made of metal can soon become rusted and stuck. I'm trying to remove old toilet bowl (lower part) from the floor but two bolts/nuts are rusted and turn freely (both bolt and nut) How do I remove it? RUSTED OUT TOILET BOLTS; Author: Anonymous User My Toilet bolts on the bottom of the toilet that hold the toilet to the floor have completely evaporated....rusted out. I thought of trying bolt cutters. This can signal damage to one or more of your closet bolts. How to Remove a Rusted Toilet Seat. You may also need to use some oil after cleaning the rust on it so that the screw comes out easily. Dremel Flex-Shaft Attachment #225 1. Unscrew the bolt with a pliers or a screwdriver while you hold the nut underneath with the pliers. My 4-year old tried to flush a plastic toy figure and it seems to be stuck somewhere in the base of the toilet bowl. Pull the bolt up and out of the toilet base. How to Cut a Rusted Toilet Bolt Written by Doityourself Staff. The most common thing is rusted bolts. Terry Administrator Staff Member. Step 3 Pour 1 to 2 cups bottled lemon juice into the rusted toilet bowl, and allow it to stand overnight. Try these common food and household items to clean your rusty bolts: Vinegar: White or apple cider vinegar are acid solutions that can be used for rust removal. Fortunately, the bolt with the metal nut was on the side that I could get to. If not, then, it may be easiest to cut them off flush with a hacksaw or grind them with a grinder, then, install a repair ring, and use the slots in the repair ring to hold the new bolts. Dremel Flex-Shaft Attachment #225 What You'll Need. On the opposite side, they are held in place by two wingnuts made from plastic. Some people prefer using hydrogen peroxide on rusted screws and bolts. When the porcelain is broken or cracked during repair, it generally means the toilet has to be replaced. How to Replace Toilet Anchor Bolts. To prevent the screws on the toilet seat from rusting, fill the holes with tub and tile caulking, then use a putty knife to level the caulking and allow it to dry before closing the lid. How to Get a Toilet With a Stuck Bolt Off the Floor. Remove the bolts with a socket set. They pour some hydrogen peroxide on the screws and bolts and leave them as it is. Warning. If the bolts are still too long, you might be able to hacksaw them with the toilet in position (put nuts on first so they can de-burr the thread at the cut). My toilet tank is held in place by two screws, which have rusted so much that the shape in their head is almost completely disappeared. The rusted bolt is always tough to take off, but any DIYer with a level head and steady hand can tackle the challenge. The bolt cutters I have are, I believe, 24 inches, but they are too big to fit into the space I need to fit them in order to cut the bolts. What You'll Need. Metal screws on a toilet seat can often rust, causing unsightly stains. Once rust has set in, it will ruthlessly attack unprotected metal and render it practically useless if steps aren't taken to reverse the corrosion process. You need to exercise care when working on a toilet. Some toilet designs may require a deep socket or socket extension for you to reach the nut. on Sep 14, 2011. Step 4 For very tough grease stains, place the nuts and bolts in a shallow pan and spray with a commercial spray-on brake cleaner, found at your local hardware or automotive parts store. I tried to losen one of them with pliers, but that only ended up in one wing breaking off. If the bolts or nuts are plastic, they can't corrode and will come off easily. A mild natural acid, lemon juice works similarly to distilled white vinegar to gently remove rust stains from porcelain toilet bowls. Why Toilet Anchor Bolts Spins? A quick examination revealed a rusted mass under the bowl, the bolts and wing nuts have become one. We have a really old toilet in one of our bathrooms which has started to leak around the tank bolts. How to Remove Rusted Screws. It was very dirty and rusty. The first rule is to invoke the patience of a Bonsai artist. Everything else is fine. If the bolts start to spin, you’ll need to hold them in place using a screwdriver. (The squished new one makes a great shop item for waxing nails and screws for easier assembly.) 3. How do I fix this. I was going to replace the bolts and washers but the nuts are completely seized and rusted to the bolts. If I have brass bolts and nuts, I don't need the sawzall. The fastest, safest method for cleaning rusty bolts. A typical toilet attaches to the floor with a pair of bolts that stick up from the flange, a special fitting at the top of the waste pipe. For lesser-rusted bolts, you can simply use a wrench or channel lock pliers to remove the nuts that hold the toilet tank in place, they should not be super tight, but this will differ based on the toilet. I can quickly spin off the brass nuts and I'm done in less then a minute. In some cases, you may be able to directly fit your socket wrench onto the nuts holding bolts in place. That's one reason I prefer removing the old toilet to a dumpster and replacing it with something new. More rusting tank bolts. A typical issue is that the nuts verifying the can seat might be rusted or consumed. The flange is cast iron, the pipe appears to be cast iron. Why they did not at least use Stainless bolts seems a bit silly to me. Fully submerge the bolts in vinegar and consider putting them in a bottle to shake. I have a toilet with Rusted Bolt problems. Last edited by a moderator: Aug 12, 2016. Joined: Aug 17, 2004 Occupation: Plumber Location: Bothell, Washington. A rocking toilet and rusted closet bolts can result in water puddles on the floor. After a while you would need to use a hard brush and clean the rust from the screw. Thread Wizard put a new “spin” on the steel brush method by creating an inexpensive product that takes all the effort out of scrubbing bolts one at a time. Simply pry open the cover behind the seat to expose the bolt's head. The hinges were designed to fit into the toilet seat holes, so no chance of cutting them off easily (no room between hinges and toilet anyway). Step 1 - Apply Your Toilet … It doesn't go high enough for me to use hacksaw or dremel. Years of condensation often rust and fuse toilet floor bolts (also known as closet bolts) to the point where they cannot be removed conventionally. Toilet seats are held in place by means of bolts anchored with nuts placed on the underside of the bowl. Due to placement I can only get about a 1" draw on a hack saw (which doesn't really cut well) so … Rusted Toilet Tank Bolts. I have a very old toilet that has started leaking around the tank bolts. If the flange is intact, you can get those bolts out that way. The closet bolts that hold it in place are rusted so I need to cut them in order to remove the nuts. Toilet seat held down by rusted bolts and metal nut on one side and nylon on the other. First, take a look at the bolts that secure the seat. Otherwise, if you lift the toilet out again, it is best to install another new wax ring. Remove most or all the rust from nuts, screws, bolts cheap and easy. 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