What to do if the washing machine door doesn't open?

Most modern washing machines have a feature that locks the hatch door while the laundry is being washed. The lock starts automatically as soon as the washing machine starts. After the washing process is finished, the lock is removed. The hatch lock device is necessary for safe use of the washing machine. If the door is securely locked, then you can not open it by mistake while the washer draws or drains water. In addition, you need to consider the curiosity of small children who may accidentally open the hatch when left unattended. Also, don't overlook the accidental factor - if the door is not locked, it can swing open from the vibrations that occur during the wash.

However, the hatch locking device may not work in your favor. Sometimes the washing machine will signal that the wash is over, but the door does not open. Those who first encountered this problem, most often use physical force, which only harms the mechanism. About how to remove the lock yourself, without giving the unit to repair, read in our today's article.

Even if in the future you have to go to a repairman for household appliances, the very first diagnosis you can do yourself. The first thing you should pay attention to is at what stage of the washing cycle the door of the washing machine "does not want" to open. If this happens during the washing, it is absolutely normal - as we said above, it is in the blocking of the hatch (though, if your washing machine is an old type, then the reason lies elsewhere).

It also happens that the hatch does not open only for the first few minutes after the end of the wash. These minutes are called the safety time. They are needed so that the washing machine can complete all processes and turn off.

Another important point that will help in the diagnosis is the residual water in the drum. If the water is not completely drained or not drained at all, then the problem is not in the door, but in the drain system.

Fully serviceable washing machine does not unlock the door only in two cases - if there is no power supply or if the hatch locking device is not disabled. In the latter case, the door will not open if you, for example, decide to add laundry while washing. Manufacturers of household appliances have provided this function, so that you do not burn your hands with hot water or steam. So, before you remove the laundry from the hatch, make sure that the washing has finished.

When the washing machine beeps to finish, wait two to three minutes and try to open the door. If unsuccessful, unplug the machine and plug it in again after a couple of minutes. If this does not help, run the washing program again. If the door can't open after washing again, you need to try other methods. When the door does not open after a sudden power outage, you need to act differently - more about this is described in the next section.

Power outages in residential homes are far from always on a schedule, so it is quite difficult to predict them. If during the operation of the washing machine blew a fuse, or there was an accident in this section of the network, or scheduled repairs are being made, it is likely that the hatch locking device will fail as a result of a sudden shutdown of the unit.

When the washing machine is turned off after a power outage, you should not immediately try to open the door. Experts recommend waiting a while, just in case the power outage was brief. In case you know that the power supply will not be resumed soon, you should try to open the door yourself.

One of the most common causes of a washing machine door lock is damage to one of the mechanisms. More often than not, the handle for opening/closing the hatch breaks. This does not always occur as a result of excessive physical force applied when opening the door. It can also be caused by elementary wear and tear on the equipment. In this case, you just need to remove the door from its hinges and try to disassemble it.

The hatch door consists of two rims, which are fastened together with screws. These screws must be unscrewed and carefully disassemble the construction so as not to lose important parts. In one of the rims built locking mechanism. Its mechanism is not complicated, so anyone can understand it. It is necessary to make sure that the lock is in good working order and, if necessary, replace it with a new one. Then assemble the door and install it in place.

If you still have your washing machine manual, you're in luck - the manufacturer usually indicates the sequence of steps for forcibly unlocking the door. If, however, the manual is long lost or no information on this issue is found in it, you will have to cope with your own efforts.

• The first thing to do is to disconnect the machine from the power grid. If there is water left inside the drum, get a basin and a rag to keep the bathroom floor from flooding.
• Then open the hatch, behind which the drain filter is located. There should be a cable for emergency unblocking near it - we have already written about it above. If you can't find the cable, go to the next step.
• Carefully remove the top panel of the washing machine, being careful not to damage the mounts. Next, it is better to act with a helper. Have one of you tilt the washing machine backwards, so that the drum tilts towards the back panel. The other should get to the door of the machine from the inside, find the latch and slide it to the side.

• If the door of the washer-dryer is blocked as a result of a power failure and water remains inside, you must drain the water before forcibly opening the door to prevent it from getting into the interior of the machine. A special drain filter is provided for this purpose.
• If the washing machine is new, that is, the warranty period has not yet expired, it is better not to try to disassemble the unit yourself, and apply directly to the firm service center (the fact is that most firms do not accept the goods after repair for warranty service).