Are you tired of telling your roommate not to use your washing machine in your absence? Are you worried about your child’s safety around the washer?
It is known that washing machines can be hazardous if you mishandle them. Washers can cause fatal injuries, and you must do everything to protect your little ones from using them unattended.
If you share a room with someone or have a washing machine in the communal laundry, keeping others from using your washer is another nuisance.
The best thing is to ask them politely not to use your appliance verbally, but what if they do not listen? Then how to lock your washer and dryer from being used?
Several ways can prevent others from using your washer and dryer. The safest way is using the child lock feature. Every machine has this feature that is particularly designed by keeping children’s unnecessary use of the device in mind.
If child lock is not enough and you want more solutions, here are some other helpful ones.
- Use a plug lock
- Tie the machine door with a cord
- Block water inlets
Read further if you are intrigued to know more about locking your washer and preventing others from using it.
3 Ways To Lock Your Front Load Machine
There are several ways to lock the front load machine and keep others from using it.
All the tips and tricks mentioned here are fairly easy and do not require professional help.
1. Front Load Washer Lock
Front-load washer locks are specifically designed for front-load machines. It is a lock placed near the door with a heavy-duty adhesive that keeps your door locked and secured at all times.
- Whenever you want to open the door, press the button and turn the lock to open the door.
- Once you add clothes and the detergent, rotate the lock back in place until you hear a clicking sound.
2. Tie Machine Door With a Cord
Using a cord to tie the door is excellent if you are looking for a cost-effective solution to locking your washing machine.
Although it will affect the machine’s appearance, it will prevent others from using it without your consent.
- Tie a rope or cord around the machine’s body.
- Secure it with a padlock to keep it secured.
3. T-Handle Washing Machine Door Lock
T-handle washing machine door lock is a T-shape lock mounted near your machine door to keep it secured when not used. Only the person with the right key can open the lock to use the machine.
It is an effective option; however, you must alter your machine’s appearance slightly to accommodate the lock.
If you have small children at home, it is advisable to unplug your washing machine after use to prevent accidents.
3 Ways To Lock a Top Loading Machine
It is impossible to completely lock top-loading machines, as their lid is hinged.
However, here are a few effective tips.
1. Child Lock
A child lock is one of the basic ways to lock your washer and dryer. Other than keeping your little ones from opening the machine door, it can also prevent them from changing the settings between a wash cycle.
Every brand has its way of activating the child lock. It is advisable to read the user manual to know exactly how to enable/disable the feature.
But the major drawback of child lock is that any adult can disable it and use your machine without your consent.
A child lock isn’t feasible if you want to keep your roommate or other adults from using your machine.
2. Plug Lock-Outs
Plug lockouts are an effective way to secure your power cord and prevent others from using your washer.
There are several styles of power plug lockouts, and you can find the right one for your plug.
Some also come with a lock that only lets the authorized person use it.
3. Block the Water Inlet
Blocking the water inlets is another cost-effective way to prevent others from using your machine. Here’s how to do it
- Take bendable plastic and make small rolls of it according to the size of the water inlets.
- Open the water inlet pipe and block the water with rolls of plastic.
- Tightly close the water inlet pipe.
It will stop the water from entering the machine, and the appliance won’t start giving an error.
Takeaway
Child safety is crucial near washing machines, especially the front-load ones.
Children could crawl into the machines if the door isn’t secured properly, resulting in horrible consequences.
A child lock is adequate for keeping your little ones away from the washing machine.
However, if you do not want your roommate or others to use your washer, try different ways like power plug lock, blocking water inlets, and T-handle lock and see what works best for you.
