I’m a cleaning expert… there is a secret button on your washing machine that can unlock the door in emergencies

There is nothing more inconvenient and frustrating than when the door of your washing machine locks automatically and you desperately need to open it.

You may have realized that you’ve either forgotten to add an item to your laundry, left something important inside a pocket, or need to end the cycle prematurely while you’re in a hurry – so what can you do to open the door , apart from using brute force?

A cleaning expert has left people in awe after revealing a secret button hidden on washing machines that can open the door while the wash is still running.

Jeeves, from New York, USA, who goes by the name Clean Freakz, or @jeeves_ny, on TikTok, regularly shares cleaning tips and tricks, and in a recent videohe has shown how to gain access to the ‘secret lock.’

The cleaning guru said: ‘You should know that there is a secret lock on your washing machine which allows you to open the door in an emergency or if your machine malfunctions and won’t release the door.’

He added: ‘For example, you lose power and don’t want your clothes to get mouldy.’

Demonstrating where the filter is located on his own washing machine, a Miele model, Jeeves continued: ‘It’s located right next to the filter, which you should clean out every few months.’

According to the Currys, homeowners should be advised to clean their washing machine’s filter every four to six weeks.

It can usually be found right at the bottom of the machine, and you may need to remove a small cover to access it, as well as place towels on the floor to prevent leaking water from spilling out when opened.

Jeeves then instructed, ‘Grab something small and push the lock to the left. This is literally a string that opens the door. This will instantly end the cycle and open the door.’

However, he stressed: ‘I only recommend it as a last resort if your machine won’t open.’

Many people thanked Jeeves for his advice in the comments, while others were confused when they were unable to find the filter on their own machines.

One person wrote: ‘Not every one has this asking me how I know’, while another said: ‘Don’t have a filter on mine that I can find nor does it have the magic switch.’

Jeeves instructed: ‘Grab something small and push the lock to the left. This is literally a string that opens the door. This will instantly end the cycle and open the door’

Many people thanked Jeeves for his advice in the comments, while others were left confused as they were unable to find the filter on their own machines

A third said: ‘I’ve looked everywhere, even taken the back panel off and can’t find my filter.’

But some people had alternative suggestions for those looking for a way to open locked washing machine doors without a secret button in their filters.

One person advised: ‘Turn the machine off, it will open after a few minutes’, while another wrote: ‘Turn it off and wait 2/3 min, it will open.’

It comes after the second cleaning expert has claimed that you can dry clean clothes with only a washing machine.

Hazel Mcinnie, from cleaning company Wee Scotty Cleaners, said she found a way to mimic the effect of a dry cleaner using a specific setting on her own Beko washing machine, which she recommended to viewers.