How to Paint Behind a Toilet in 7 Steps

If you’re at your wits’ end trying to shove a full-sized paint roller between the tank and the wall, take a moment to read these simple steps. You’ll soon be able to get the job done quickly and neatly—and stop bumping your elbow into the porcelain bowl.

First, make sure you assemble these project tools:

• Painter's mask

• Painter's tape

• Tarp or plastic sheet

• Large trash bag

• Rubber band

• Paint tray

• 4-inch paint roller

• 3-inch foam paint brush

• 1-inch paint brush

• Paint pad (optional)

When painting your bathroom or any other enclosed space, open up any doors and windows to promote good air circulation. You should also turn on a fan and put on your painter's mask to avoid breathing in heavy paint fumes.

Here's where most amateur painters skip a step. Take a few minutes to dust, vacuum, and wipe down the area directly behind the toilet. This step ensures that you're not trapping dirt and bacteria under a fresh coat of paint. As one of the filthiest corners of the house, the spot behind the toilet can always benefit from a pass with a sponge and a mild detergent or cleaning agent.

Next, protect the flooring around the toilet by using painter's tape to secure a tarp or plastic sheet.

In this next step, you'll cover the toilet with the trash bag included in the supply list above. Bigger is better when it comes to this task. Try visiting your local home improvement store to ask about tear-resistant, heavy-duty contractor cleanup bags that can hold up to 50 gallons.

Once you’ve secured the bag over the toilet, tape it in place—make sure you don’t leave any part of the base peeking out from the bag. Use a rubber band to cinch any excess bag material that will get in your way while painting. Anything that's showing is in paint splatter territory, so you should tape any exposed piping, too.

This is where the narrow 4-inch paint roller will pay for itself. While paint rollers are available in 2-inch widths, most people will find these rollers too small to be useful. 

Using your paint roller, apply primer as an outline in the shape of the toilet. Using the outline as your guide, switch to your 3-inch foam brush to carefully apply primer behind the toilet. 

The trick to doing this right is only loading one side of your foam brush with primer. This way, the primer-covered side of the brush only comes in contact with the wall when you reach behind the toilet to paint. This strategy avoids the sloppiness of maneuvering a drippy brush that’s likely to bump into pipes, porcelain, and probably your arm.

Finally, switch to a 1-inch wide-angled paintbrush to do fine detailing around the pipes. Allow the primer to dry fully before moving on.

Once the primer is dry, you will use the same technique that you used to apply primer for your coat of paint. Just be sure to clean your roller pan before changing from primer to paint.

Most bathrooms will need two to three paint coats, but don’t try to speed up the process by skipping dying time in between. If you don’t allow the first coat to dry fully before applying another layer, you might end up with paint that will flake, peel, or clump. Make sure to wait at least one hour after your final coat to remove the painter’s tape to avoid cracking.

If you're struggling to wedge your foam paint brush between the wall and toilet tank, you can pull out a paint pad instead. The long handle and slim profile of the pad can make it easier to get behind the tank with some toilet configurations.

When using the pad, you have two options for transferring paint. The first is to dip the pad in your paint tray. If you prefer a more controlled option, the second method is to apply paint to the pad using a paintbrush.

Starting from above, slide the paint pad down behind the toilet. Do your best to gently work the pad from side to side to transfer the paint as neatly as possible.