The main reason given for not caulking around toilet bases is that it could hide leaks and the resulting damage could become severe. Without caulk, leaking water would flow out freely from under the toilet and be noticed immediately. While that thought process would be true if there was a sudden and major break in a pipe, the majority of leaks are small and don’t spread onto the bathroom floor, but instead soak into the underlying structure. Water leaks under a bathtub are often found the same way. Learn more about caulking around the toilet base in a bathroom.