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You walked out to see off your kids, returning to realize the door is closed and your keys are still inside. You’re busy with your work and suddenly hear screams of your 6-year old, rushing to see he has locked himself in the bathroom. Relatable, right?
There have been many instances in all of out lives where we find ourselves at the wrong side of a locked door. Wait, don’t call the locksmith yet and get charged with a hefty sum, because most locks can be picked with easily available items present at your home.
When you find yourself locked out, just remember that most locks are a very simple mechanical device. This guide shall teach you how to unlock bathroom door twist lock, using simple household items available at everybody’s place.
How to unlock bathroom door twist lock – 5 different techniques
Before trying to pick a lock, you must identify the type of lock you are working on. Most bathroom door twist locks, also known as privacy door knobs/bed and bath door knobs either have a twisting lock mechanism or a pushbutton inside the doorknob.
The outer part of doorknob will have a small circular hole in the center which is made to allow emergency access.
Determine the kind of lock mechanism you are working on if possible and also check if the there is a keyhole instead of a hole at the outside of doorknob. This will tell you which method to proceed with for picking an entry to the locked door.
Technique # 1 – Unlock the door using a substitute key (interior doors)
Tool required: Paperclip/eyeglass screwdriver/spam key
The interior door in a house like those on bedrooms and bathrooms, are locked for privacy but are not designed to be really impassable. The non-locking side of the door ha a small hole, most likely on the knob’s face.
There is a small button which shall be pushed to unlock the door. The only thing needed is a stiff, straight tool which may be a small paperclip or even a mere paperclip which is straightened. Some people also rely on the spam key – though we are clueless why anyone would still have it.
With some locks, you need to insert the tool and twist. The screwdriver would be indispensable for this, but in a tweak, you might be able to hammer the tip of a paperclip, flat. However, if this still isn’t clear for you, you actually should move around with a spam key all the time!
Technique # 2 – Remove the doorknob
Tool required: Screwdrivers
This is another option to unlock bathroom door twist lock designed for a lower security level. The technique is to remove and disassemble the lock. Some knobs have obvious mounting screws present, though they usually require a Phillips head screwdriver.
On others a series of pieces shall be removed, like the rose, shank, etc. before getting down to the actual mounting screws. In such case, a flathead screwdriver would do the deal and help you release the mechanism which is holding these extra pieces in place.
Technique # 3 – Pulling the Bolt
Tool required: A wire coat hanger
If the mechanism of the lock is a latch bolt one i.e. the bolts which are spring-loaded and have an angled edge, the angled edge in these faces away from you so a wire hanger can be hooked with it.
Step one is to bend the hanger, making it a hook with a long handle. Secondly, place the hook in the gap between the jamb and edge of the door. Your goal is to hook the latch bolt around.
Once you have placed the hanger in correct position, hold the hanger with one hand and the doorknob with other. Apply some turning force in the direction that the knob will turn if it was unlocked.
Now pull the hanger towards you and when it pulls on the latch, forcing to withdraw, the knob shall turn and open the door. Note that this will not work in there is a jamb to block the gap between the wall and door.
Technique # 4 – Push the Bolt
Tool required: Credit card
If the lock’s mechanism is that of a latch bolt, with the angled edge facing you, it can be popped using a credit card. If you don’t have a credit card, just use any flexible plastic card which is a wiser choice than credit card, as it may get damaged in the process.
The principle technique remains same as the coat hanger one, but here the edge of a credit card will be sued to push the latch bolt’s angled edge. Repeat the steps mentioned in the coat hanger technique now, putting pressure on the knob, etc.
The advantage here is that the card’s flexibility will allow you to bend and wiggle it in the gap, even if the access is being blocked by the jamb.
Technique # 5 – Pick the lock
Tool required: Bobby Pins
Yes, you read that right – bobby pins can be used to pick locks as well, as shown in your favorite thriller movies. Of course, it will take you longer to do so than they do it.
Take two bobby pins and bend both of them in a particular shape for the job. The first bobby pin will turn out to be a replacement key, a method to turn the cylinder.
Bend the fulcrum’s last centimeter in a way that it is perpendicular to the two free ends, now stick this part to the keyhole’s bottom and use the remaining as a handle.