Locked doors are a menace, especially when you actually lose the keys, and with that, if you consider bathrooms.
Locked bathroom doors are like survival for the fittest. You need to have this little problem solved as if your life depends on it.
Sometimes, it happens that you can’t reach a locksmith who would come and unlock the doors for you.
It is a fretting task, a challenging one too, if I may add, but it does not mean it is an impossible one.
This blog will help you look into different methods you can unlock your door by using the most basic supplies you have at home, and that too with a possibility of not damaging the lock.
A keyhole – a tricky game because all keyholes have a different grid structure from the inside.
By just as a safety lock with the right combination and angles, the lock can be unlocked. Let us look at some ways that can help:
1. The Old Traditional Butter Knife
Besides gliding on silky goodness butter and jams, when you have a locked door, this is the first thing you should look for an opening that stubborn lock.
As discussed earlier, a butter knife is plain has a slightly round edge. Put the butter knife in the keyhole the same way you would put in the key to open the lock.
Gently twist the doorknob sideways, left and right, to adjust the butter knife in the key grid. If you feel that the knife has somehow been inserted in the structure, try opening the lock where adjustment is maximum. And voila!
The other way of doing it is sliding the butter knife in between the frame of the door and the door, where the lock clicks.
This is slightly difficult, as the gap between the door and the frame is uncertain, and we could end up damaging the material of the door and the frame as well.
2. The Nifty Bobby-Pin
We come across those things in the movies, where people break into houses by unlocking the door using bobby pins, which is a very simple and clever contraption.
Although it does look exaggerated, bobby pins are the far easiest and one of the most convenient ways of unlocking doors safely. The bobby pin can be molded, twisted, and turned in any shape required.
You should use a flat bobby pin because the smoother the shape, the better. In case you have a curved bobby pin, make sure you straighten the edges so it helps to remove the curve of the edges and it doesn’t create any hindrance.
Insert the bobby pin in the keyhole and wiggle multiple times to fix the bobby in the keyhole grid. While wiggling, also try the push mechanism. This should open the lock without any hassle.
3. The ‘Screwdriver’
When the bobby pin and butter knife fails, this is where we bring the big guns. However, we won’t be needing those big screwdrivers. Look for a screwdriver with a thin and flat face.
You can look for the screwdriver tester as well. Wiggle the screwdriver until you hear the lock click and the door unlocks.
This is a full-proof tool, and the added benefit is that you don’t need to turn the doorknob. The lock adjusts and unlocks itself very easily.
We can’t use a screwdriver with a bigger face, as it will neither adjust in the lock nor fit in the door frame to unlock the lock.
They will damage the door and the structure of the lock as well. Nobody would want to spare extra pennies on distorted doorknobs.
4. Keep Your Cards Handy
Got any spare old expired credit cards lying around in the house? Or those that we bought membership but didn’t plan on using?
So, yes, plastic cards can be used as another convenient way to unlock doors without the keyhole. For this purpose, we don’t address doorknobs; instead, we go for the door frame.
The best way to do it is to insert the card in the door frame and slide it down towards the lock. Try bending the card around the lock, that it glides over the lock surface and the lock moves that help you unlock the door.
When you feel that the lock is clicking and it is easier to turn the doorknob, try twisting it so that the lock retains its position.
And there you have it, the door is unlocked. A card slip can damage the strip on the card, which tends to make it unreadable.
Hence, it is best to use gift cards and loyalty cards, or other cards that are not of important usage and can be replaced if needed ever damaged.
5. The Hard Way – Remove Handle
When all fails, we turn towards the most wrenched method, which is removing the door handle.
For this, you would actually need your toolbox because there are no other subtle ways of doing it. You can start by gently inserting your screwdriver (flat face) inside any squeaky gap you find between the door handle.
Try pushing it outwards that takes the door handle out of the door. Once the handle comes out, try inserting the screwdriver into the lock mechanism. Gently twist the knob to unlock the lock.
Be careful to remove the doorknob properly, with the slit touching the door and carefully separating it from the lock mechanism.
6. Make An Investment – Lock Picking Set
The last resort would be a lock picking set conveniently available at any departmental or hardware store. Before purchasing a lock-picking set, you must be confident that you can use the set.
Unlocking a door using a lock picking set is easier, as it has the right tools for picking the lock. There is a thin needle picker that helps in adjusting according to the lock mechanism.
Lock picking set is the far safest and the best way of unlocking any door lock.
It is always convenient to keep the set handy. You never know when you might need it.
7. SOS System – Remove Hinges
When all seems to fail, the most unwanted method will be to remove the door’s hinges. This is a dangerous method, as it involves a lot of handling.
Removing hinges would create a load on the door. Hence, it would require a proactive person to deal with the door falling.
Be wise enough to keep the door hinges in place. Keep all the nuts and screws handy.
What Should You Do In Case You Are Locked?
First of all, what should you do, DO NOT PANIC! Take deep breaths, and the first thing you should do is open the windows for fresh air to get in.
Try to remain calm and reach out to someone standing outside since you can’t push the door from the inside.
The second thing you can do is, try and wait unless someone notices that the door is locked. Try to be as loud as possible and with loud bangs on the door. Make your presence noticeable.
Thirdly, try carefully climbing out of the window space if the windows are big enough to slip through. Otherwise, completely drop the plan of doing it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should be done if none of these hack’s work?
The best possible way to deal with such a problem is by addressing to a locksmith as their expertise is most suited for this purpose.
They know all the right ways of unlocking the doors without damaging the lock.
Should i use a bobby pin or a lock-picking set to unlock the door?
A lock picking set is a more suitable way of unlocking a door. Using a bobby pin might not give the desired result.
How to remain calm if you are claustrophobic? What should be done in that scenario?
This is a very crucial topic. If you are claustrophobic, you might need immediate assistance and try breaking the door if necessary if none of the hacks turn out the way you are expecting them to.
Such a condition may lead to temporary discomfort and hence can have adverse effects as well.
Can we use a fruit knife instead of a butter knife to open the keyhole?
It is best advised that you use a butter knife as it is smoother and round. A fruit knife is sharper and can damage the rigged edges in the lock mechanism.
Which is the best lock picking tool?
The best lock picking tool is the tension wrench.
Can master lock be opened the same way?
No, master locks are more complex. They usually require changing the lock after being dismantled.
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