The bathroom door in our hallway had not latched properly since we moved in. You had to pull it closed, lift the handle slightly, and lean into it at exactly the right angle. Every guest figured out their own technique. Some pushed. Some slammed. Nobody ever said anything — they just developed their own personal relationship with our broken door.

I fixed it in twenty minutes. Here is what was wrong and how to fix yours.

Check the Strike Plate First

The strike plate is the metal piece on the door frame that the latch clicks into. Over time, the screws loosen and the plate shifts — sometimes by only a millimeter or two — but that is enough to misalign the latch. Tighten the screws first. If the plate still seems off, remove it and check if the hole behind it needs to be enlarged slightly with a chisel or a file.

If the latch is hitting the strike plate too high or too low, you can adjust the plate position. Fill the old screw holes with toothpicks and wood glue, let it dry, then re-drill the plate in the correct position. A shift of an eighth of an inch is often all it takes.

File the Strike Plate Opening

Sometimes the latch bolt is hitting the edge of the strike plate opening rather than sliding into it cleanly. You can see this by closing the door slowly and watching where the latch contacts the plate — there will be a shiny wear mark. Use a metal file to enlarge the opening slightly on the side where the latch is catching. Go slow. File, test, file, test. A little goes a long way.

The Lipstick Trick

If you cannot tell exactly where the latch is hitting, put a dab of lipstick or a piece of masking tape on the face of the latch, close the door, and open it again. The lipstick or tape mark on the strike plate tells you exactly where the contact point is. My grandfather taught me this. I do not own lipstick but a crayon works just as well.