Toilet Door Lock Stuck

[Steve Roberts]

I closed the door of my toilet from the outside and now can't get back in. The handle moves, but it evidently is not withdrawing the tongue so the door is stuck closed. (Fortunately there's no-one in there!) I can't remove the handle because the privacy lock spindle is attached on the inside. (The lock is definitely not closed)

Any genius ideas that don't involve smashing the door? I have tried sliding a strip of bendy plastic around the stop and into the gap between the door and the jamb but that doesn't seem to work (or I am lacking the necessary skill). I thought maybe if I remove the stop I might be able to slide some springy steel in there but would prefer to avoid that unless I have to.

 

[Old Salt]

Take the door handle off and see if you can turn the catch either with the square spindle and mole grips or take the spindle out and try with a flat bladed screwdriver or some such.

 

[foxhole]

Don’t think Salty read you post correctly . Remove stop which will give access to catch which you should be able to flick back with a sharp blade / pointed tool .

 

[Mottie]

As said, you’ll have to lever the door stop out and flick the catch as suggested. You could either just snap/saw the notched door lock off so that the handle can be removed or remove all screws and bend it down from the top if you didn’t want to damage the paintwork/door frame - it looks corroded so it could do with replacing.

Years ago when our kids were about 4 and 6, I telephoned Mrs Mottie to tell her I’d be working late. She took the kids in the bathroom around 6.30 to bathe them and when finished she went to open the door but just the handle turned without the door opening so she was stuck in there with the kids wrapped in towels to keep warm (was in winter) because their clothes were in their bedrooms. When I got home about 8.30 I heard them calling and just opened the door as usual to find two crying/freezing kids and a pìssed off Mrs Mottie! What had happened was that whoever had fitted the lock/handle had cut the bar too short and it had slipped out of the inner handle. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what’s happened to yours.

 

[Steve Roberts]

Sorted - will post some pictures later. Basically I scored the stop edge with a knife and then hammered a broad paint scraper into the gap, avoiding the nail that fixed the stop to the jamb. Three bangs and it was open and not too much damage.