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!
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.
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.
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.
Have you considered a mechanical timer? After a quick search I found this model in particular. The description says that it can handle up to 96 on/off-cycles with 15 minute incements.
In your case it would be used the following way: Before you start the washing machine you need to set up the timer, so that it will switch off after the washing program cyle completed, i.e. the washing cycle lasts 2 h 30 min - you need to set the timer to 2 h 45 min (adding some tolerance)
The disadvantage would be that the timer had to be set up everytime before you use the washing machine - or you have to wash always at the same time (which probably will be impractical). Alternatively you just could unplug the power cord after using the washing machine, saving the effort to buy a timer.
Sorry I just… don’t think this is going to work.
This type of timer would be so fiddly to configure every time. It would also turn the power back on at the same time the next day.
Also I’m not usually standing around ready to turn the power off when the cycle finishes.
What about a WiFi connected smart outlet? It can be voice controlled or controlled from a phone or turned on at the outlet. You can set just a “run timer” (from the time I turn it on, run 2.5 hours) without it repeating.
AND if you need to make sure it’s off at any point, just check your phone.
TP Link Kasa outlets can run for 23 hours and 59 minutes at a time.
Washing Machine Toddler Defense
I was expecting some complex legal strategy…
I thought I was in the AnarchyChess community.
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”.
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.
Put a locking door handle on the door
Really, that hard to pull a plug when you’re done? This is a non-issue. The plug too far? Okay, get an extension cord.
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.
Maybe try fixing your house where pulling a cord to keep toddlers safe takes priority over the inconvenience of pluging something back in.
Or i could, you know… fix my house so a toddlers safety is not dependent on someone remembering to pull a cord?
So what your telling me is that, if you have a candle lit, you would rather just put up a bunch of barriers around it so no one can touch it instead of blowing it out?
I’m not sure. Is the candle like a mood lighting thing or a blackout thing? How dark is it without the candle? Are we doing something important or just hanging out? Is the candle scented?
Depends are the kids asleep? Or does the house just smell bad because I forgot to take out the garbage the night before? Hanging out can always lead to something important. you like the smell of vanilla or fresh strawberry field. Or are you into those wild nonsensical smells "calming ocean barnacle and diesel oil "
They also have those storage/riser blocks that raise the washing machine/ dryer by 1.5ft or so. Check with the manufacturer. Those might be able to help push it out of arms reach. Not the only solution needed but could be an extra layer of defense, and saves your back!
Also you say you keep the door closed, but just an fyi that the door is supposed to be able to air out after a load or you can get a nasty smell eventually and give off a musty smell to clothes.
I know that’s a new problem but if you can somehow limit access to the room then that takes care of both issues.
There’s a dryer on top of the washing machine so we can’t really raise it.
Also we keep the laundry door closed not the washing machine door.
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.
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.
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.
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.
