Washing Machine Toddler Defense

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.

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.

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.

Do you have any smart home stuff going on? If you had Home Assistant set up, I could imagine a trigger that turns off a smart outlet after 5 minutes of no use. (I use such a trigger to let me know when laundry is done)

Internet-connected plug?

It allows for custom auto-off timer, or you could just manually turn it off via an app on your phone.

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!

Ours has a PIN code feature, solved the starting the cycle issue for us.

Washing Machine Toddler Defense

I was expecting some complex legal strategy...

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.

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.

Depending on your washer door these style of locks work well

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.

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

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.

Bicycle chain?

Put a locking door handle on the door

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.

Replace the doorknob with one that incorporates a "storeroom lockset." It's like the normal entry lockset like you'd have on your front door, but there's no button on the inside: it can always be opened from the inside, but requires a key from the outside every time the door shuts.

I use a storeroom lock to keep my kids out of my home networking closet. I'm thinking about putting one on the basement door, too.

(It's not weird/exotic/expensive BTW; it's just more common in commercial buildings than residential ones. It should cost about the same as a normal entry-lockset doorknob.)

See also: https://flyinglocksmiths.com/blog/the-five-lockset-functions/

For bonus points, install a door closer (or just a tension spring) to make sure it latches shut every time you walk away.

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.

You could get a "smart" plug and use Home Assistant to monitor the energy usage and shut the plug off after the washer stops drawing power, but unless you already have a smart home setup that's super overkill.

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.

We use these stick on toddler locks

https://www.ebay.com/itm/334846219569?itmmeta=01JY9H130N0FY8D285F9VH9Y04&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA4MHg7L1Zz0LA5DYYmRTS30lXQGwA6UuLWz7XV%2FixY2d%2BE58JAh8bx4A84i6vsTNcmt5N%2B1kIvZ95gY2tkSe5bjnRHYP061FO3ihPKaBtRAoIJuRO4saZdezjW94AjpDjBJOMcGTz%2F0vtALNXY%2FKe43EsYtutSPW1CPGfDt6ISdbWRXc9fK%2BVn%2FuBSEI%2BizhCwKVSVP0%2FHs9hEDfD%2B262BIoUUz4U5yrgOur2ySHsuSKSyANVBRKtbo2O43NBG52WrjyacZHaw5Sh1lSiolASzGPtcLHOiI9dhwSRDqmDcsgT|tkp%3ABFBMurCEsfJl

I have ADHD and a tendency to forget all sorts of obvious things but using the toddler locks has just become a part of my muscle memory. Closing the oven or certain drawers just takes an extra movement now and it wasn't too bad to adjust. The price is low enough and it's efficacy is high enough I would recommend you at least try them before experimenting with more expensive or time consuming set-up heavy options

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.