Putting Foil Over Your Doorknob Won't Keep Your Home Safe
Published July 24 2023, 9:46 a.m. ET
Some things we only do when we are alone. In the privacy of our own homes, we can truly be ourselves, and that means we may have some habits others may find a little weird. Over the years, the internet has talked about one such habit: putting aluminum over doorknobs all over your house. But why would anyone wrap foil around doorknobs when they are alone?
On the surface, this seems nonsensical. Why would people put foil on their doorknobs? It turns out that there are a few practical reasons given for this, but do they actually work?
Why do people wrap their doorknobs with foil?
Different websites like Home Design Looks point out different ways putting foil on your doorknob is supposed to keep you safe. For one, it's supposed to help prevent people from getting a grip on the doorknob. It's also meant to make it harder for someone to pick a lock. And to make it that much more secure, some people suggest putting rubber bands around the foil.
Unfortunately, foil only does so much, and it won't be much help to keep your home safe. Although it's true that it may be more difficult for someone to get a grip on your doorknob, it's not going to prevent someone from picking the lock or anything else. If anything, it just makes some crinkly noise when someone tries to turn the knob. Plus, the person could easily just rip the foil off.
In 2022, Snopes called an ad featuring this foil method "misleading clickbait" that was meant to draw attention to a particular article.
Titled "33 Life Hacks To Boost Your Quality Of Life!," this article was a slideshow that did mention putting foil on your doorknob. However, it was one of those long posts where you had to click a bunch of times just to reach the end, according to Snopes. This was done so that there could be numerous links to different products and the article's author could earn affiliate commission.
What does putting foil on your doorknob actually do?
Covering your doorknobs in foil actually does have other uses. If you're painting a door, using foil on the doorknobs will prevent getting paint on them.
This same method can be used for static on doorknobs. If you've ever been shocked when you try to open or close a door, you know how annoying that can be. Some people have found that putting some foil on your doorknobs can help prevent static shock.
