Despite how old you are, we are guilty of locking ourselves out of the house at least once. Not just your home, you might find yourself in difficult situations like getting locked inside a public toilet or even locked inside a room you don’t want to be in.
Do you realize what’s common in all of these situations? You most likely don’t have a key to get yourself in or out. In other words, you are stuck, putting your safety at stake.
Although an unfortunate situation, it can be mended. What you have to do is learn more about ways to open the door without a key. This article will explore more on that in detail.
Why Do You Need to Unlock a Door Without a Key?
When you think about the need to unlock a door without a key, the very first scenario that comes to mind is locking ourselves out of the house.
While that warrants a valid reason, there are multiple other instances you might need to unlock a door without a key. For example:
- You might be locked inside a public restroom unknowingly
- You might be locked inside your friend’s room
- You might be unable to unlock a cabinet in your home that has a lock
The situations are diverse, and ideally, one of the other of these tips should help you out of the mess you are currently stuck in.
Also Read – Home Safe Home: Security Tips Every Family Needs
How To Unlock a Door Without a Key (Inside and Outside Both)?
Irrespective of whether you are locked inside or outside, the following tips should give you a fighting chance to open the door without spending a significant amount on a locksmith.
So, let’s get these tips on the road, shall we?
1. Using a Bobby Pin
When you are locked out of your house or stuck in a room with no way out, your first option is to pick the lock. And the best way to do so is by using a bobby pin (and a few other tools).
You’d need access to an Allen wrench for this method, so that can be a little challenging to get your hands on. But, if by any chance you do end up having access to an Allen wrench and a bobby pin, follow the steps mentioned:
Insert the shorter end of the Allen wrench inside the lower part of the keyhole.
Turn the wrench in the motion that the lock would open. Apply a little extra pressure while doing that.
- Once the wrench is inside and positioned, insert one end of the bobby pin into the keyhole.
- You must try different motions using the bobby pin to pick the lock. Try moving it upwards to see if that opens the lock. If it doesn’t, rotate the pin in a circular motion.
- Ensure you are simultaneously putting pressure on the Allen wrench while turning it in the direction in which the lock would open.
If the overall technique isn’t working, you can go in pin by pin and open the lock gradually. It is time-consuming but should work out.
2. Using a Card
This is your best technique if you are locked in or out of a door with a spring lock or latch bolts. Also, we’d recommend using a card you aren’t using. An active debit or credit card isn’t advisable.
Once you have the card in hand, follow the steps:
- Start by standing in front of the door with the card in your hand.
- With steady hands, place the card in the gap between the door and the lock.
- Using a little pressure, bend your card, so it pushes the lock towards the door.
If the above doesn’t work or if there is no gap between the lock and the door, place the card right above the lock in the door and pull it downwards.
3. Using a Screwdriver
Another easy and effective tool that you can use to unlock the door is a screwdriver. These work for privacy locks, which have a doorknob with a little hole in them.
When it comes to using a screwdriver, the technique will depend on the kind of lock you have. For example:
- If the door has a button lock, insert the screwdriver until you hear a clicking sound. That’s when you know the lock is open.
- If the door has a privacy lock, find a small, flathead screwdriver that can fit inside the small hole. Push it until you hear the click sound.
- If the door has a thumb-turn lock, you need to do a little manual labor. Push the screwdriver enough inside the keyhole until it fits and falls into a slit. That’s when you can rotate the screwdriver in the direction in which the lock opens until it unlocks.
Finding the right and well-fitted screwdriver for the lock is the most challenging part of the process.
4. Using a Knife
You generally don’t carry a knife when you are outdoors. So, this trick comes in handy if you are accidentally locked inside and can’t seem to find the keys to unlock the door.
However, using a knife comes with certain limitations. The first requirement is enough space between the door and the door frame. If there isn’t enough space available, you won’t be able to fit something as big as a knife inside the gap.
Butter knives work the best and are the safest options too. Here’s what you can do:
- Insert the knife’s blade between the doorframe and the lock you want to break. You have to slip in until you feel the latch. Once you can feel the latch, push it with enough pressure until it retracts. This should open the door immediately.
5. Lock Picking
We have shared one lock-picking technique using bobby pins in the beginning. If you want to know more, we’d recommend using professional lock-picking equipment.
Lock-picking sets are great for emergencies like these, and you can always slip one in your car or in your purse too. The primary function of a lock pick is to fit inside any lock or keyhole and lift the pins to the correct height.
The moment it happens, the lock falls into place when it happens, and a little jiggle and pressure should open the lock right in a matter of seconds. Tension wrenches are great beginner-friendly lock-picking equipment too.
6. Using Bump Keys
Like lock picking, lock bumping is another effective method to unlock a key to a door. However, this comes with certain restrictions.
If it’s a rental property or someone else’s house where the owners have installed security measures to prevent lock bumping, you won’t regain access to the home.
A bump key resembles the shape and appearance of a key but is used to exploit the key pins and the driver pins. It works effortlessly for pin tumbler locks, and these keys are versatile too. They are designed with universal and multiple types of grooves and bends to ensure they work in various locks.
Here’s what you should do:
- Slip in the bump key inside the keyhole and apply external pressure using a hammer or screwdriver.
- When the pressure is applied, it pushes the driver pins inside the lock inside the shear lines.
- But, the key here is to apply enough pressure and torque on the bump key, so it fits into the pins to force them to open.
7. By Removing the Hinges
If none of these above methods are working out for you, the last resort is to remove the hinges on the side of the door.
These can be a handful, to begin with, but its better than calling a locksmith or breaking down the door.
If the door has hinges on the side, you can get your hands on some screwdriver and open the door from one side to regain entry inside (or outside).
Also Read – A Few Simple Tricks That’ll Make Your Home More Functional
Conclusion
If you are tired of calling a locksmith every time and paying them hundreds of dollars just to pick a lock, we hope these tips help. Just ensure that you are being safe while implementing these methods. Some of them use heavy-duty tools, which might end up hurting you accidentally if you aren’t careful. So, practice caution.
