I can’t decide the best way to secure our front loading washing machine.
We have twins. They’re fascinated by the washing machine. Lights, beeps, action… everything. One twin getting inside and their erstwhile companion starting the cycle is absolutely possible.
Obviously we keep the laundry door closed but in a way you just build up the appeal. One of them has figured out how to open doors by standing on his trike.
I could put some kind of stick-on toddler lock on the door but I worry it would be tough to establish the habit of closing the door and putting that lock on. Besides which surely it’s nice to leave the door open to dry out between loads anyway?
The washing machine does have a toddler lock but that’s only to prevent someone changing the settings during a cycle, it doesn’t prevent starting a cycle.
My best idea thus far is a timer on the power outlet. So you turn on the power and set the timer to turn it off after however long the load takes.
The problem with this is that I haven’t been able to find a count-down style timer that allows you to set periods longer than 2 hours. Most power outlet timer thingies do schedules, not count-down.
I know this maybe sounds like an easily solvable problem - just turn the power off when it’s done - but that’s just not how things roll in our house.
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My washing machine is broken, so it takes a screwdriver to open the door 😂 so, maybe break off the handle? 🤣
But seriously, unplugging (or if you’re in the uk, use a switched outlet) may be the best choice. If the socket is in an awkward spot, you could use an extension cord so that the plug is exposed in a place inaccessible to them.
Still, even without electricity, the idea of one being trapped inside is scary as heck!
One twin getting inside and their erstwhile companion starting the cycle is absolutely possible.
In the animal kingdom, the stronger siblings will often murder the weaker ones to assert their superior evolutionary fitness. It’s best not to interfere and allow nature to take its best course.
Temporary solution: use a ratchet strap around the machine when not in use. They’re difficult for a child to release and easy to acquire. Its crude but it will work until you can find a more elegant solution
Thanks for your input!
Sadly, this is another solution that would keep the machine closed when not in use so it would get mouldy and gross inside.
Open the door fully and tighten the strap across the opening.
Our washing machine has a smart plug on the back, and a child lock set on the front.
Kids do mess around with the door and the drum, but they can’t start it without a phone.
Baby gates. Baby gates everywhere.
Also thats a weird toddler lock. Ours you have to push and hold a button to activate it and it wont run until you push and hold something else.
There are custom-made products for this. You don’t have to buy from them obviously, but search Amazon for baby proof washing machine. Should be under USD20.
Oh wow. Thanks.
Obviously I just didn’t know what to search for.
Solved.
Do you have any smart home stuff going on? If you had Home Assistant set up, I could imagine a trigger that turns off a smart outlet after 5 minutes of no use. (I use such a trigger to let me know when laundry is done)
About 2 minutes after I posted i decided this is probably the best solution.
I’m big into self hosting but have been resisting the urge to open the home automation box because I’ll never close it again.
That said, it’s an obvious solution to this dilemma.
Is your dryer 220V? Keep that in mind.
Yea, I don’t want any smart devices.
My short term solution for some crucial monitoring needs has been Yolink products.
I have their hub (without voice nonsense), a couple temp monitors (for a fridge and freezer), and a couple switches (really for power monitoring).
I have their app on my phone with minimal permissions. You don’t need the app - the system will do SMS or email alerts.
Washing Machine Toddler Defense
I was expecting some complex legal strategy…
I thought I was in the AnarchyChess community.
Ours has a PIN code feature, solved the starting the cycle issue for us.
What brand are your machines? Because the child lockout function you mentioned absolutely should prevent a cycle from being started. That’s what it’s for.
LG
Unless your machines are a thousand years old, the control lock prevents activation of a cycle on all current and recent LG models. It locks all of the buttons on the panel except the control lock pad itself, which you have to press and hold for 3 seconds in order to unlock it again. Usually it’s the rightmost and lowermost button.
It doesn’t lock the door, though. Rugrats will still be able to open it and climb inside, but they won’t be able to start it unless they read the manual first.
LG says:
The child lock feature disables control panel buttons and prevents children and others from changing cycle settings during a wash or dry cycle.
This is indeed how it works on our machine.
I’m going to ask you a stupid question, so don’t get mad at me: Have you tried it?
Key words being “disables control panel buttons.” On my LG machine at home (WM4200HA) it will lock the panel regardless of whether a cycle is currently running or not. If you lock it when the machine is not already running it won’t let you start a new cycle. All you can do is power it on and off, and any of the other buttons just give you a sad beep and “CL” message.
If somehow you can start a cycle with your control panel locked, record a video and call your lawyer. Because that’s lawsuit material, right there.
Yes I’ve tried it. No it doesn’t work.
It’s not intended to work that way.
Machine is about 5 years old.
LG WD12021D6
Looks like a model released specifically for the Aussie market. You’re in Oz?
Per the manual:
Child Lock: Select this function on the control assembly to prevent tampering. “Child Lock” can be set only during the washing cycle.
What a breathtakingly stupid design. I’m going to have to eat crow on this one; I have never seen such a thing before, and why the hell it would be devised this way is beyond me. All US and to my knowledge also Euro models allow you to lock the thing out when it’s off, for the express and obvious purpose of preventing toddlers from washing themselves (or your pets). This indeed seems like the sort of thing that would get somebody sued.
In that case, back to your thought about a countdown timer plug. Something like this might work? If I’m interpreting the Engrish correctly, you can set it to some interval and it just shuts off after the specified time. It says it goes up to 10 hours – definitely more than 2. And not on a schedule.
Plan C… Can you swap the doorknob on the laundry room door to one with a keyed lock on it? Or is it one of those sliding pocket door arrangements?
Yeah.
I agree the child lock feature seems poorly considered.
I did read somewhere that in the future regulations might require better child locks, or more touches to start a cycle or something. Not helpful to us though.
The item you linked does actually look as though it’s the kind of timer I was looking for.
However, I think I’ve decided to get a smart plug that’s controlled by wifi that will allow me to configure it to just power off once the cycle is done. Tinkering with this sort of stuff will be fun for other uses anyway.
There’s also a specialised child lock someone suggested which I’ve linked elsewhere in this thread. It’s not perfect - it just adheres to the front of the machine and I’m certain that it wouldn’t stand up to even mild interest from a toddler, but it’s something I guess.
I could put a lock on the laundry door no problem, but my concern is that it will get left open sooner or later due to laziness or a guest or something. The locked door will just make that room more appealing IMO meaning that occasionally forgetting to lock the door is almost as risky as never closing the door.
I think the smart plug is the best shot at a “solution”.
Internet-connected plug?
It allows for custom auto-off timer, or you could just manually turn it off via an app on your phone.
Plus it it has a button on the plug/switch for manual operation.
The yolink brand is a decent compromise.
Depending on your washer door these style of locks work well
Came here to say this. We have these everywhere in the house. They’re super easy to open (by adults) and should come off when the kiddos are older without too much fuss.
Will get mouldy and gross inside.
Someone else mentioned a specialised product like this:
Put a kitchen gate in
Put a locking door handle on the door
Can you remove their access to the room where the washing machine is? Mine is in the attic, behind a door and a stair gate, so they couldn’t even come close.
