September 9, 2009
locked out of laundry room? Want to open without calling a locksmith?
Question by mamato3:
I have to lock my laundry room with a simple twist on one side and key on the other because it is both a bathroom and a laundry room. It is so guests can have some privacy. Well my husband locked it and the key is inside shut the door and walked away. I can't afford a locksmith right now and need to get in there to do laundry. How can I open it myself. I've been trying to open it with a house key and hammering it into the door, but no luck should i try a differnt key? or is there another way? Please help.
I have to lock my laundry room with a simple twist on one side and key on the other because it is both a bathroom and a laundry room. It is so guests can have some privacy. Well my husband locked it and the key is inside shut the door and walked away. I can't afford a locksmith right now and need to get in there to do laundry. How can I open it myself. I've been trying to open it with a house key and hammering it into the door, but no luck should i try a differnt key? or is there another way? Please help.
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Comments on locked out of laundry room? Want to open without calling a locksmith? »
Another key probably wil NOT open it. Try a credit card in between the door and the door jam.
If the door opens into the laundry room, try taking a credit card or drivers license and sliding it into the gap between the door and the door jamb and use it to push the latch back into the door and out of the hole. With a little practice it is actually quite easy.
It's a simple laundry room door, so it's probably a simple lock, different keys won't help you, try sliding a thin knife blade through the door as you push or pull it, which ever way it opens.
Are the hinge pins on your side of the door? If so, tap them out with a hammer and screwdriver then open the door.
Climb through a window…..take the door off the hinges…..take the door knob off……wait, why are you worried about it, make your hubby do it, he's the one that locked the key in there!
If you can see where the latch part of the doorknob goes into the jamb..(there should be a little gap)
Get a sharp pointed knife and stick it into the latch and try to move it back into the door.
there might be a smaller latch part attatched to the locking part and u may have to move that first..
too bad i can't draw a picture.don't try any more keys though
If it is an interior door, you can remove the door stop (small moulding) to get better access to the strike on your door handle. Then just use a thin putty knife to move the strike.
First: If the door opens INTO the laundry room, the knife, credit card trick will most likely NOT work due to the stop molding being in the way. However if the door open toward you then you will have easy access to the latch. You can use a short knife to work the latch back by holding slight pull pressure on the door while 'ratcheting' the bolt into the lock. If the door opens toward you then you may also remove the hinge pins using a small screwdriver as a punch. Tap the pins up from the bottom or use it to tap the top head of the hinge up..
Next, a new lockset will probably cost 20 bucks at HD or Lowes etc. My choice would be to take a hammer and hit the door knob downward and remove it. This destroyes the lockset of course. This will expose the internals of the lockset. Take a screwdriver and use it to pull the lock back.
Instal a new lock with a low security privacy key. That is usually named a 'bathroom' lock. It uses a paper clip or similar item to unlock.
Take the day off and dont do laundry. and stop hammering the wrong key into the door, you may have damaged the key setting and hubby will get mad at you. dont remove any sides to the door and dont play with the knife. Let him figure it out and take care of his mess. He may have an additional key somewhere, but all means take the day off. If you have damaged the door knob the best solution to that room is getting rid of that type of door knob and getting a simple slide lock on door for privacy and no more accidental locking of the door.
Hammering the wrong key into the lock will ruin the cylinder, and the house key, so you may as well destroy the lockset. Hammer the knob off and unlock with a screwdriver. Removing the stop molding, as others have suggested, and prying back the latch is also a good idea.