How to Pick a Bathroom Lock at Home

If the kids lock themselves in the bathroom, the door accidentally gets locked and closed with no one inside, or the person inside is sick or injured and you need to get to them in a hurry, the quickest way is to pick the lock.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Think about how the door locks from the inside. You need to do the opposite to get it unlocked from the outside.

2. Insert a small screwdriver into the lock and turn it, if the bathroom lock is the type where you turn the thumb piece to lock it. When picking the lock from the outside, turn the screwdriver the opposite direction of the way you would turn it to lock it from inside.

3. Put a nail into the lock and push if the type of lock on your bathroom door is a push button lock, instead of one that you turn.

4. Try using a straightened paper clip or a straightened clothes hanger if you do not have a nail thin enough to fit into the lock.

5. Turn the knob of the door at the same time as you are pushing in on the lock and the door should open.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are not having any luck picking the lock another way to get into the bathroom is to remove the door knob with the lock in place.
• You can also remove the hinges from the side of the door and take the bathroom door off to gain access. After you get inside, unlock the door and then hang the door again.