According to the American Academy of Pediatrics [1], white noise machines should be played at a volume no louder than 50 decibels , roughly the sound of a soft shower. This is the same maximum noise level recommended in hospital nurseries.

To protect your baby’s hearing, the AAP also recommends placing the machine at least 2 metres away [1,2] from where your baby sleeps and avoiding continuous high-volume use.

At Hushable, we recommend you observe these guidelines and use the lowest effective decibel level for your baby’s sleep. 

(1) Download a (free) Sound Level App e.g.:

NIOSH Sound Level Meter (iOS) – Developed by the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, a division of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Decibel X (iOS & Android)

(2) Set Up Like a Sleep Space: Place your phone where your baby sleeps (e.g. cot level), and turn on your white noise machine to your usual volume

(3) Check the Decibel Reading
safe = 50dB or lower
too loud = over 50dB

NRC ( Noise Reduction Coefficient) measures how much sound a material absorbs, on a scale from 0 (no absorption) to 1.0 (maximum absorption) [3].

How does Hushable compare?

• NRC 0 – 0.10: Almost all sound is reflected, like painted drywall or wallpaper [4].

• NRC 0.40 – 0.70: Noticeable absorption, common in 25–50 mm melamine or polyurethane foam, and many “acoustic curtains” [5,6].

• NRC 0.75 – 1: High-performance absorbers like studio bafflers.

Hushable has an NRC of 0.90. That means it absorbs ~90% of mid- and high-frequency sound energy that hits it in a standard “ASTM C423” lab test — a benchmark for acoustic materials used in real-world environments [7].

That’s genuinely top-tier performance for a product slim enough to live on a nursery wall or door.

Great question! To complement our acoustic tiles, head to our dedicated page here to get some ideas.

Hushable is designed to absorb mid to high-frequency noise — think voices, footsteps, kitchen clatter, barking dogs, and traffic whooshes.

It won’t fully block bass-heavy sounds like subwoofers or lawnmowers, but it will significantly reduce the sharp, sleep-wrecking noises that babies (and parents) wake up to [9].

Think of it as creating a softer acoustic shell for your nursery — less echo, fewer sharp sounds, and a noticeably calmer space.

We won’t lie — no tile (short of concrete) can truly soundproof a room. Hushable reduces echoes and airborne noise inside your space, and can soften what gets through walls and doors. Think quieter room, calmer baby — not dead silence [8].