How to Get Sponges and Use Them in Minecraft?

Minecraft is a fascinating game with a lot of resources to find and use and Sponge is one of that resources. These Sponge blocks can be usedfor absorbing or collecting copious amounts of water, making underwater bases, or dropping water levels in underwater structures. They can also serve as decorative pieces for the player's build.

Where to Find Sponge Blocks

You can get sponges from an ocean monument. They naturally generate attached to the ceiling in so-called sponge rooms, which appear randomly inside the structure. The most fool proof and ensured way to get a sponge is by killing an Elder Guardian. These hostile mobs will always drop at least one wet sponge upon being killed by the player. While defeating an Elder Guardian is not a child's play, it does offer quitea worthy reward for those who pull it off.

How to Get Sponges Dry

You will always find sponges wet, so to use them you need to get them dry. The process of drying a sponge is simple. There are two methods of drying a sponge:

Method 1: Dry a Wet Sponge in a Furnace

By placing a wet sponge in a furnace and adding some fuel, you can completely remove water from it. Once the arrow has filled up, the wet sponge will turn into a dry sponge.  

Method 2: Place a Wet Sponge in the Nether Dimension

Another way of getting your sponges dry is to place them in the Nether. Nether is an extremely hot dimension in the game which is why it is also considered as hell. This hot dimension has made it possible to dry sponges by placing them anywhere in this dimension. However, don’t place them near lava or in a specific biome.  

You may even dry sponges in your Nether hub so that no random Ghast can blow up your rare blocks. This method is much faster than drying up sponges in the furnace.

How to Use Sponges in Minecraft

The main purpose of a sponge block is to absorb water in Minecraft. So, if you place a sponge down, flowing or regular water blocks up to 7 blocks away from the sponge will instantly turn into air blocks. However, this is only possible with a small water body. A single sponge cannot absorb a whole 7 x 7 x 7 cube of water at once i.e., a maximum of 65 water blocks. Spamming your sponge blocks in the ocean won’t be helpful. Your sponge will remove as much water as it can, but then all the water around will start connecting, forming water source blocks again.