How to Lock A Door Without A Lock

There are many commonsense reasons why you’d want a little extra security. If you frequently travel, staying in hotel rooms or Airbnb rentals can be risky because doors don’t always lock securely, if they lock at all. Plus, cleaning staff and who knows who else has keys.

Whether you want more secure doors when you’re home or away from home, there are plenty of options. Some temporary locks are made for doors that swing in, and others for doors that swing out. Some must be screwed to the door, door jamb or floor; others are removable.

The photo in this article is for a product you will find on Amazon called "Portable Door Lock," and it is sold for about $10.

This lock works by disabling the doorknob rather than wedging the door shut, so it’s only as secure as the lockset and the wood in the door jamb. To use it, insert the pins on a metal plate into the door strike and close it. Then insert the pin on the locking mechanism into a hole in the plate, and push the mechanism down to prevent the knob from turning. This provides excellent security for in-swing doors that don’t lock and doors with locks that others have keys for.

Now that we are starting to travel more with the lessening impact of COVID, this might be something worth investing in.