Is gray stain in vinyl flooring around toilet *always* a wax ring leak?

[ProfessionalLeftist]

9. Flange was cracked!

I had a plumber remove the toilet, seal AND flange. He didn't want to remove the flange but I made him so I could see the floor and subfloor and peel back the vinyl. Sure enough, floor around the back had been wet and one spot was particularly bad - the thing was leaking under there and the flange was cracked in one place. It was a few millimeters from seeping thru subfloor in one spot.

So. $$$$$$$ for the plumber and for a flooring co. to cut out the icky wood and replace it with new, along with replacing the vinyl and plumber will place a coupling/flange/new wax seal and replace the toilet.

Damn good thing I caught it when I did or the mess would have been under a wall soon. Even though it's costing me money I didn't intend to spend, I think it was a good call to have the whole thing taken out NOW so I could see wth was going on before it got worse.

Gray or black stuff around base of toilet under vinyl installed over wood floor/subfloor is not something to mess with.

So toilet sits in my tub for now awaiting flooring repair/replacement and then toilet re-install.