Refrigerator Not Cooling? What Renters Can Fix Themselves

Water at the Base of the Toilet: Diagnose Before You Act

Finding water at the base of a toilet is alarming, but the cause determines both the urgency and the fix. Water at the base during or after flushing almost always indicates a failed wax ring seal between the toilet and the floor flange. Water that appears between flushes may be condensation, a supply line connection issue, or a crack in the toilet base. Correctly identifying the source before attempting a repair saves time and prevents making the situation worse.

Confirming the Source

Dry the floor around the toilet completely and place a paper towel flat on the floor at the base. Flush the toilet and watch where moisture appears. If water seeps from under the toilet base during or immediately after flushing, the wax ring has failed. If moisture appears between flushes and the water feels cold, it may be condensation. If water drips from the connection points on the supply line, tightening the supply line nut slightly at both ends may resolve it.

Reporting the Issue vs. DIY Repair

A failed wax ring requires removing the toilet, replacing the wax ring, and resetting the toilet. This is a manageable DIY repair but involves shutting off the water, disconnecting the supply line, removing the toilet (which is heavy), and working with the floor flange. If you are comfortable with this scope of work, the parts cost under ten dollars. If not, this is a legitimate maintenance request for your landlord. Submit a written request immediately and document the moisture with photos to protect yourself from any claim that you ignored a known leak.

Temporary Mitigation

If you are waiting for a repair appointment or for your landlord to respond to a maintenance request, place absorbent towels around the base and check and replace them regularly. This prevents water from spreading and staining the flooring or seeping into the subfloor. Document the issue with photos and the date of your maintenance request.

Wax Ring Replacement: The Steps

Turn off the water supply valve behind the toilet. Flush to empty the tank and bowl. Disconnect the supply line. Remove the plastic caps at the base and unscrew the nuts from the floor bolts. Rock the toilet gently to break the wax seal and lift the toilet straight up. Scrape off all old wax from the toilet horn and the floor flange. Press a new wax ring onto the toilet horn, lower the toilet onto the floor bolts, and press firmly and evenly to seat the wax. Replace nuts, caps, and supply line. Turn water back on and test.

Find wax ring replacement kits and toilet repair tools: toilet repair supplies on Amazon.

More help: Appliances and Plumbing guides

Move-Out Cleaning That Protects Your Deposit

Move-out cleaning should restore the unit to the same cleanliness level it was in when you moved in — not necessarily spotless, but comparable. If your move-in documentation shows the unit was already lightly cleaned, your obligation is to match that standard. If the unit was professionally cleaned and documented as such at move-in, a landlord may have grounds to require professional cleaning at move-out as well, particularly if the lease specifies it. Reading your lease’s language around cleaning expectations is the first step in understanding your actual obligations versus what a landlord might claim.

The areas that generate the most deposit deductions for cleaning are predictable: kitchen appliances (especially oven interiors, refrigerator coils and drip pans, and range hood filters), bathroom grout and caulk, window tracks and sills, light fixtures, and baseboards. Professional move-out cleaners know these high-scrutiny areas and address them systematically. If you’re cleaning yourself, working from top to bottom (ceilings, fans, light fixtures before floors) and back to front (starting in the farthest room from the exit) ensures you don’t track dirt through cleaned areas. Budget at least two days for a thorough self-clean of an average two-bedroom apartment.

Odor is a category where renters frequently underestimate the effort required. Cooking odors, pet smells, and cigarette smoke require treatment of surfaces, not just masking with air fresheners. An enzyme-based cleaner on any fabric surface (carpet, upholstery, inside closets) breaks down organic compounds at the molecular level rather than covering them. Hard surfaces that have absorbed cooking oils or smoke require a degreaser rather than a standard all-purpose cleaner. Replacing HVAC filters before move-out eliminates a common landlord deduction, and running the system with a carbon filter for the last week of occupancy helps clear airborne odors from the space.

Photographing your cleaning efforts sounds unusual but is worth the effort. Before-and-after photos of the oven, bathroom, and any areas that were visibly dirty create documentation that supports your claim that you left the unit in good condition. Time-stamped photos taken on your final day in the unit — ideally with the landlord present or immediately before your landlord’s walkthrough — are particularly strong evidence. Some renters keep receipts from cleaning supply purchases or professional cleaning services as additional documentation. The stronger your cleaning documentation, the harder it is for a landlord to justify a cleaning deduction of any significant amount.