Dryer sound
A tumble dryer turning. Warm, even drone.
A 2-minute recording played in random overlapping segments, the way the app plays it, so you won't hear a loop. Start with your volume low. Keep this tab open.
About this sound
A clothes dryer running: a warm, even drone of the drum turning, with no buzzer at the end.
We used a steady stretch from the middle of the original. The app plays 4 minutes of it as random stretches of about half a minute joined with 4-second crossfades, with no added volume drift, so it stays as even as a real machine. The player on this page uses a 2-minute excerpt.
How people use it
Many parents and adults fall asleep to household machines, and a dryer is one of the warmest and most even. It covers voices and small sounds without the hiss of white noise.
Keep it low. For a nursery, use it quietly, well away from the crib and with a timer rather than all night. A little brown noise underneath adds weight if you need more masking.
Questions
Why do babies like the sound of a dryer?
Steady, low sounds may resemble what babies heard before birth, and they cover sudden household noises. Use it quietly and away from the crib.
Does it end with a buzzer?
No. It is a steady part of the cycle, played in random stretches, so it just keeps running until you stop it or the timer fades it out.
Is a dryer better than white noise?
Neither is proven better. A dryer has more low end and less hiss, so many people find it warmer; choose by ear at a low volume.
Mix it with
Get dryer on your phone
Nightwool is coming to iPhone and Android. One e-mail when it launches, then we delete the list.