Washing Machine Sound for Babies

The deep hum of a washing machine drum and the soft swish of water every few seconds: a cozy, rhythmic household sound so many babies love. No spin-cycle rattle and no beeps, just a steady rumble and gentle sloshing.

About this sound

Drum	Deep, steady low hum and rumble
Water	A soft swish every 2.5 seconds, like the drum turning
Turn	A slow, gentle change in the swish every 20 seconds
Filter	5 kHz low-pass
Length	10 hours, seamless loop
Screen	Picture for a few seconds, then fades to fully black

What the research says

Why household sounds calm babies

Washing machines, vacuums and hair dryers all make loud, steady broadband sound, close to white noise. With white noise playing, 80% of newborns fell asleep within five minutes, compared with 25% without it ^[1]. In a small randomised trial of colicky one-month-olds, white noise reduced daily crying time ^[2].

Rhythm plus rumble

The washing machine adds a slow, regular swish on top of a deep hum. Before birth, babies hear mainly low sounds, because the mother’s body muffles high pitches by 40 to 50 dB ^[3], so a deep, rhythmic rumble feels familiar.

Keep it gentle

Real machines can be loud, and so can sleep devices at full volume ^[4]. We keep ours soft, with no spin cycle or beeps. We could not find a study of washing-machine sounds in babies specifically.

Why we fade to a dark screen

Young children’s body clocks are very sensitive to light in the evening. In a small study of preschoolers (ages 3–5), one hour of bright evening light cut the sleep hormone melatonin by 88%, and it stayed low for at least 50 minutes after the light was switched off ^[5]. A phone screen is far dimmer than that study’s light, and babies were not studied, but the lesson is simple: the less light in the nursery, the better. That is why every Shush Bean video shows its picture only briefly and then fades to a fully black screen.

How loud is too loud

Researchers in Toronto measured 14 infant sleep machines at full volume. At 30 cm (about 1 foot) every one of them was louder than 50 dBA, the limit recommended for hospital nurseries, and three could exceed 85 dBA ^[4]. Their advice: keep the device well away from the crib, keep the volume low, and do not run it at full volume all night. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ safe sleep guidance still comes first: baby on their back, on a firm flat surface, in their own crib or bassinet with nothing else in it ^[6].

How to use it

• Try it on fussy evenings, while you hold or rock your baby.
• Turn it down once your baby is asleep.
• Keep the device across the room, never in the crib.

Questions

References

1. Spencer JA, Moran DJ, Lee A, Talbert D. White noise and sleep induction. Archives of Disease in Childhood. 1990;65(1):135–137. Link
2. Sezici E, Yigit D. Comparison between swinging and playing of white noise among colicky babies: a paired randomised controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2018;27(3–4):593–600. Link
3. Gerhardt KJ, Abrams RM. Fetal exposures to sound and vibroacoustic stimulation. Journal of Perinatology. 2000;20(S1):S21–S30. Link
4. Hugh SC, Wolter NE, Propst EJ, Gordon KA, Cushing SL, Papsin BC. Infant sleep machines and hazardous sound pressure levels. Pediatrics. 2014;133(4):677–681. Link
5. Akacem LD, Wright KP, LeBourgeois MK. Sensitivity of the circadian system to evening bright light in preschool-age children. Physiological Reports. 2018;6(5):e13617. Link
6. Moon RY, Carlin RF, Hand I; AAP Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Sleep-related infant deaths: updated 2022 recommendations for reducing infant deaths in the sleep environment. Pediatrics. 2022;150(1):e2022057990. Link

This page summarizes published research for general information. It is not medical advice. Research on sleep sounds for babies is still limited; talk to your pediatrician about your baby’s sleep and crying.