OT for the current problem of machine abuse
I friend at work long ago recalled that his wife, to enable the washing machine to empty faster used to pull out the filter , well a button when down and jammed the pump , so he fixed it , this happened twice the third time he when into the workshop and got the required tools and plonked them on the washer " you broke it you fix it " , well the washing piled up and up , but she did fix it in the end , guess what the pump never got blocked again.
You have shown him how to fix it next time give him your patent tool and wait , when his grass is waist high and he get grief from his SWMBO he will fix it
Stuart