High-speed hand dryers in public restrooms are convenient, but they come with an annoying side effect: they’re loud. For many young children, this sudden burst of noise isn’t just uncomfortable—it can be downright terrifying. Some kids develop noise anxiety in public restrooms, making trips to the bathroom stressful for both kids and caretakers. If your child is afraid of hand dryers or automatic toilets, you’re not alone—and research suggests there’s a good reason for their discomfort.
But are they loud enough to cause hearing damage—especially for a child standing right next to one? The short answer is possibly. This concern gained attention after 9-year-old Canadian Nora Keegan’s 2019 science fair project, which revealed just how loud some hand dryers can be.
Before Keegan’s work, researchers suggested that public hand dryers wouldn’t cause hearing damage unless someone was exposed up close for at least seven minutes. However, the safe exposure time depends on the sound’s decibel level—the louder the noise, the less time it takes to potentially cause harm.
Prior research assumed that the maximum loudness of a restroom hand dryer was 90 dB. However, Keegan’s project found that certain models can reach 110 dB, especially when a hand interrupts the airflow.
Are We Testing Close Enough?
When it comes to loud sounds, distance matters—but are we testing at the right distance? Research on hand dryers previously suggested they weren’t a hearing risk, but those tests accounted for an adult’s arm length from the dryer. Keegan’s measurements were higher not only because she tested specific conditions, like airflow interruption, but also because she measured at a closer distance than standard tests. As she explained, “It was also really loud at children’s heights, and manufacturers don’t measure for children’s height as much either.” This raises an important question—not just for hand dryers, but for other loud devices as well.
This same testing issue occurs with toys for children. (See blog post: “When is a Toy Too Loud?“) Safety standards exist for loud toys, but they don’t always reflect how kids actually use them. The ASTM F963 standard, for example, tests sound levels for hand-held toys from about 20 inches away, assuming a child’s ear is at least 10 inches from the toy. But in reality, kids often hold noisy toys right up to their ears, exposing them to much louder sounds than the test allows for. This gap between testing conditions and real-life use raises the same question we see with hand dryers—are safety standards truly protecting children’s hearing?
How the Contrast to Silence Makes It Worse
Even if a hand dryer’s noise is technically “safe,” it presents another challenge—many children are scared of public restrooms because of how loud they can be. Dr. John Drever of Goldsmiths University has heard this concern from many parents. He explains:
“I have been informed by many parents that their children are terrified by the sound of high-speed hand dryers, and as all caring parents of young children will know, the last thing you want to instill is a link between discomfort and toilets.”
One reason for this fear is the sudden contrast between quiet and loud. Public restrooms tend to be relatively silent compared to other public spaces, so the abrupt blast of a hand dryer—or even the unexpected roar of a flushing toilet—can be startling. For young children, this can feel even more overwhelming. It’s no wonder that for some children, public restrooms are a source of stress or fear.
Reducing Noise Anxiety for Kids
- Choose a quieter restroom. Family or unisex restrooms are often smaller and less reverberant than large public restrooms. If available, they can provide a more comfortable environment.
- Give them a warning. Let your child know before you flush the toilet or before a dryer turns on, so they have time to cover their ears or wait for you to cover theirs.
- Distract with another sound. Playing a quick video or letting them listen to music can help shift their focus and make sudden noises feel less jarring.
- Use noise-reducing earmuffs or headphones. If your child is especially sensitive to loud sounds, a pair of kids’ noise-reducing earmuffs or noise-canceling headphones can help lower the volume and reduce anxiety in loud public spaces.
- Cover their ears. Gently placing your hands over your child’s ears can reduce the noise level.
- Block auto-flushers with your hand. If your child is afraid of unexpected toilet flushes, simply covering the sensor with your hand until they’re ready can prevent it from going off too soon.
Loud noises in public restrooms, especially from high-speed hand dryers and auto-flushing toilets, can be overwhelming for young children. Understanding how sound affects children differently—and recognizing that current safety standards may not fully reflect real-life use—can help parents and caretakers make informed choices.