Man, the “security system” dishwasher cracked me up. I’ve seen tenants get creative—one guy used a bungee cord to keep his dishwasher door closed for months. Not the worst hack, honestly, but I’ve also seen what happens when someone thinks painter’s tape is waterproof. Spoiler: it’s not. I agree about the clamp sizes too. If you’re wrestling with it, it’s probably wrong. And yeah, those “temporary” fixes have a way of sticking around... until you’re ankle-deep in water.
Bungee cords, duct tape, zip ties... I’ve seen ‘em all holding dishwashers together. Once walked into a unit where someone had wedged a broom handle between the counter and the dishwasher door—looked like a medieval security system. Honestly, if you’re reaching for painter’s tape, you’re probably already in trouble. My go-to is always: check the latch, check the hinges, and if you’re fighting the clamp, you’ve got the wrong size. Temporary fixes have a funny way of becoming permanent until, yeah, you’re mopping up suds at midnight.
Not gonna lie, I actually used painter’s tape once when the latch on my dishwasher broke mid-cycle. Had a friend over and we’d just loaded it full… next thing I know, the door keeps popping open with all the water sloshing around. Desperate times, desperate measures, right? Painter’s tape kept it shut for the night, and honestly, I was just glad not to have a flood to deal with.
I get what you’re saying about temporary fixes turning into long-term headaches, though. I’ve definitely put off a “quick fix” and regretted it later. But sometimes you just don’t have the right parts or tools at midnight. I’d argue there’s a time and place for a little ingenuity—just as long as you remember to circle back and actually fix it for real. Otherwise, yeah, you’re mopping up suds at 1am instead of midnight.
Painter’s tape in a pinch—been there, done that. Honestly, it’s impressive how creative people get when appliances go rogue at the worst possible time. I’ve seen tenants use everything from bungee cords to duct tape for “emergency” fixes. The key, like you said, is not letting the temp solution become the new normal. Did you ever figure out if it was just the latch or something more? Sometimes it’s just a $10 part and a screwdriver, but other times you open it up and realize you’re in over your head. Either way, hats off for avoiding a midnight flood.
Honestly, I get the appeal of a quick fix, but I’ve seen way too many “temporary” solutions turn into long-term headaches. Painter’s tape or duct tape might hold for a night, but if the latch is shot, you’re just delaying the inevitable—and sometimes making it worse. I’ve had tenants tape a dishwasher shut, only to have water leak out the bottom because the seal wasn’t tight. Sometimes it’s worth just biting the bullet and swapping out the latch or even the whole door assembly. It’s not always as complicated as it looks, and you save yourself a lot of hassle down the road.
