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Home » Home » TIP: Have a sticky lock? Here’s a very easy way to solve the problem

TIP: Have a sticky lock? Here’s a very easy way to solve the problem

March 15, 2016 Paris B 10 Comments

I hesitate to call this a Tuesday Tip, but the alliteration trips off the tongue doesn’t it? I just don’t know how long I can keep up with these series sort of posts so just bear with me haha!

It isn’t a beauty tip today, but then most of you would be used to my flitting about by now, and this is a very handy life tip I learned, nonetheless, that I felt I just had to pass on.

how to solve the problem with a sticky lock
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Now, how many of you have faced a problem with a sticky door lock? I recently found that I was having a very sticky problem with the lock on my door. My keys would not slip in and out easily, but would catch and stick, so it was a problem to lock and unlock the doors. There were even occasions when I wondered if I might be locked out of my house because I just could not seem to get my keys to slide into the lock properly.

It was frustrating. But thank God for Google and the plethora of information out there! If you’ve ever faced this situation, especially with these sort of pin-tumbler lock systems, then you might find this trick useful – and it’s best of all, free and solved with items available in every home! 😀

My first instinct was to grab a bottle of lubricant or WD-40 and squirt it into the lock. But I didn’t have a bottle, and I was not so keen on using this technique as my keys would then get greasy and dirty my key holder.

It turned out, my instinct (albeit a vain one) was correct, for what I read is that this sticky lock problem is sometimes caused by dust getting into the lock and clogging it up, so the key isn’t able to slide in properly and smoothly. Using lubricant gives you immediate relief, but it can potentially clog up the mechanism even more, as dust will stick more easily to a greasy surface.

Instead, the answer turned out to be something simple – graphite.

solve a sticky lock problem with pencil graphite
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Yes, the lead in our pencils. Apparently, you can buy bottles of powdered graphite at hardware stores, but I figured, why not try using a pencil. After all, a pencil lead is made of graphite, and it was essentially free, since I have pencils lying around.

It’s very easy.

use pencil to solve sticky lock problem
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How to solve a sticky lock problem

  • Grab a pencil, and run it along the grooves of your key a few times, making it a little powdery.
  • Then, take your key and insert it into the sticky lock. It might stick a little.
  • Remove, and reinsert the key until it feels smooth.
  • If it doesn’t, run your pencil along the key again and try to get more graphite powder on the key, so it will lubricate the lock.

That’s it!

Have you encountered a similar sticky lock problem? Have you tried this trick?

I’m happy to report that ever since I used this trick, my lock has remained smooth and I haven’t faced any panic attacks from being locked out of the house LOL! 😀 Let me know if this helps you!

Paris B

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About Paris B

Paris B is a 40-something beauty and skincare enthusiast with a practical and very critical view of beauty products and the world of beauty. Her mission on My Women Stuff is to deliver clear, honest reviews and facilitate discussions about beauty trends and life, tempered with a healthy dose of humour. Let the buyer's remorse be ours not yours! When not testing the newest skincare creams and lotions, or playing with makeup, find her testing her culinary skills in the kitchen at Chez PB. Read more about us here or leave a comment below or connect with us on social media at Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!

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10 comments ... Read or JOIN THE DISCUSSION

  1. LeGeeque says

    March 15, 2016 at 10:02 am

    I was expecting a tip to manage sticky (locks of) hair ?????? but good to know nonetheless ????

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      March 18, 2016 at 4:30 pm

      Hahaha I already said it’s not beauty related ma 😀

      Reply
  2. Jennifer says

    March 15, 2016 at 10:30 am

    Ok for the sake of this superbly catchy and well done article, I declare you as a beautiful Macgyver 🙂 Did I just give my age away? Thanks for the tip! I like it because it is a clean and dry solution. The WD-40 is a mess sometimes. And good thing you found a way out than risk looking like you’re trying to break into your own house!

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      March 18, 2016 at 4:32 pm

      Hahaha did you know they’re doing a remake of McGyver? I just found it out myself! And yes, clean and dry is the way to go. WD-40 would have made everything a right royal mess!

      Reply
  3. Tine @ Beautyholics Anonymous says

    March 16, 2016 at 4:49 am

    Oh clever! But hehe like Geek, I too thought you were talking about hair 😛
    But good idea nevertheless. My first instinct would be to the WD40 the crap out of it but yeah, that’s just messy. I’m going to try this out with one of the locks that I have. My key often catches but won’t turn. Experiment time!

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      March 18, 2016 at 4:38 pm

      LOL apa hair 😀 I thought to WD-40 too, but didn’t want to mess up my swanky key pouch. Vain! haha… but it works a treat, and it’s been months since I did it and it’s still working smoothly. When it starts to stick again, I’ll just whip out my pencil again! Let me know if this helps you 🙂

      Reply
  4. Kuri says

    March 16, 2016 at 8:34 am

    Cool!

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      March 18, 2016 at 4:39 pm

      Haha quite! 😉

      Reply
  5. Jasmine says

    March 20, 2016 at 2:58 am

    I wished I saw your tip earlier! My parents just changed the whole lock system ?Anyway keep these handy posts coming!!

    Reply
    • Paris B says

      April 1, 2016 at 9:21 am

      Well, when all fails, it’s time to change! 🙂 Thanks and I’m glad you thought this was a handy tip!

      Reply

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My Women Stuff by Paris B

Welcome to My Women Stuff, a beauty blog based in Malaysia, written by veteran blogger, Paris B. What you can expect is honesty, critical views & a healthy dose of shared life lessons sprinkled amongst beauty product reviews. What you shouldn't expect is a page filled with unnecessary narcissistic photos. MWS is a blog for those who love to read, because we love to write! Read More about MWS and Paris B

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