The Ultimate Guide: 5 Essential Steps To Get Unlimited Sponges In Minecraft (Latest Update)

Are you tired of painstakingly removing water block by block from your massive underwater base or drainage project? As of the current date, December 15, 2025, the Sponge block remains the single most effective tool for mass water removal in Minecraft, capable of instantly clearing a large volume of liquid. However, acquiring this game-changing block isn't as simple as mining a common ore; it requires a deep-sea expedition to one of the most dangerous structures in the game: the Ocean Monument.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through the precise, up-to-date methods for obtaining both the Wet Sponge and the crucial Dry Sponge, detailing the necessary preparations, the exact mob drops, and the secret to drying your haul instantly. Getting a sponge is a rite of passage for any serious Minecraft builder, and mastering this process is key to your next grand project.

The Exclusive Source: Locating and Raiding the Ocean Monument

In the latest versions of Minecraft (1.19 and beyond), the only way to obtain a Sponge in Survival mode is by venturing into an Ocean Monument. These massive, underwater temples are the exclusive source of the block and the home of the formidable Elder Guardian.

• The Facts Of Life Cast Where Are Eastlands Girls Now 2024 Updates 2tx8p

What is an Ocean Monument?

• Location: Ocean Monuments are massive structures that only generate in Deep Ocean biomes.
• Inhabitants: The monument is heavily guarded by numerous hostile Guardians, and most importantly, three powerful Elder Guardians.
• Loot: The primary treasures are eight blocks of Gold found at the center of the monument, and the highly coveted Sponge blocks.

Preparation is Key: Your Ocean Monument Raid Checklist

Raiding an Ocean Monument without proper preparation is a death sentence. The Elder Guardians inflict the powerful Mining Fatigue III effect, making it nearly impossible to break blocks or fight effectively. Use this checklist to ensure your success:

• Water Breathing Potions (8:00): Absolutely essential for extended time underwater.
• Night Vision Potions (8:00): Helps you see clearly in the murky depths of the Deep Ocean.
• Milk Buckets: Crucial for instantly curing the Mining Fatigue effect inflicted by the Elder Guardians.
• Respiration III Helmet: Extends your underwater breathing time significantly.
• Aqua Affinity Helmet: Removes the speed penalty for mining underwater, which is vital for clearing pathways.
• Depth Strider III Boots: Increases your movement speed underwater.
• Weapons: A powerful sword (Sharpness V) and a Bow with Power/Infinity, as you may need to fight from a distance.
• Conduit (Optional but Recommended): A Conduit offers unlimited underwater breathing, night vision, and faster mining, making the raid trivial if you can set one up beforehand.

Two Reliable Methods to Obtain Wet Sponges

Once you are inside the Ocean Monument, there are two distinct ways to secure your Sponge haul. Both methods involve high risk but offer high reward.

Method 1: Defeat the Elder Guardians (Guaranteed Drop)

The most reliable way to get a Sponge is by killing the monument's bosses. There are exactly three Elder Guardians in every Ocean Monument. They are located in specific, large chambers: one in the top room (the 'penthouse') and two on the side wings.

• The Chilling True Story 5 Key Facts About Richard Evonitz The Serial Killer Who Kidnapped Kara Robinson Chamberlain Xpjje

Upon defeating an Elder Guardian, it will always drop one Wet Sponge. This means you are guaranteed to get a minimum of three Wet Sponges from a single monument raid. This is the only renewable source of Sponges in the game, as monuments will eventually respawn Elder Guardians if you leave and return (though this is a long process).

Method 2: Loot the Hidden Sponge Room (Random Chance)

Some Ocean Monuments generate with a secret, highly valuable 'Sponge Room' inside. This room is a small, hollow chamber typically found near the top of the monument, sometimes adjacent to the penthouse where the first Elder Guardian spawns.

If the room generates, it will be filled with approximately 30 to 60 blocks of Wet Sponge. This is the fastest way to acquire a large quantity of sponges at once, making it a massive jackpot for builders. Unfortunately, the generation of a Sponge Room is not guaranteed, so you must explore the monument to confirm its presence.

• The Enduring Legacy Of Haylor 5 Shocking Facts About Harry Styles And Taylor Swifts Relationship 10 Years Later Sf662

The Final Step: Turning Wet Sponges into Dry Sponges

All sponges obtained from the Ocean Monument, whether from the Elder Guardians or the Sponge Room, are Wet Sponges. A Wet Sponge cannot absorb water; it must first be dried to become a functional Dry Sponge. Fortunately, there are two fast, simple methods to dry your haul.

Option A: Smelting in a Furnace

The traditional and most common method is to cook the Wet Sponge in any type of furnace (Furnace, Blast Furnace, or Smoker).

• Input: 1 Wet Sponge
• Fuel: Any standard fuel source (coal, charcoal, lava bucket).
• Output: 1 Dry Sponge and 1 Bucket of Water.

The furnace will consume the Wet Sponge and return a Dry Sponge, leaving behind a Bucket of Water in the empty fuel slot if you used a Lava Bucket as fuel. This is a great way to recover your water buckets.

Option B: The Nether Trick (Instant Drying)

For the fastest possible drying, especially for large stacks of sponges, use the Nether dimension. The heat of the Nether instantly dries any Wet Sponge placed within it.

1. Travel to the Nether, making sure you have a pickaxe.
2. Place the Wet Sponge down on any block.
3. The moment the Wet Sponge is placed, it will instantly transform into a Dry Sponge.
4. Mine the Dry Sponge with your pickaxe and repeat the process.

This method is highly efficient as it does not require any fuel and is instantaneous. It is the preferred method for players looking to dry thousands of sponges for massive drainage projects.

Sponge Uses and Advanced Drainage Techniques

The Dry Sponge is an invaluable utility block for any serious Minecraft builder, allowing you to instantly clear large volumes of water that would otherwise take hours with buckets or sand.

• Water Removal: When a Dry Sponge is placed in water, it instantly absorbs all contiguous water source blocks within a 7-block radius (a 7x7x7 area).
• Clearing Monuments: Sponges are primarily used to drain the Ocean Monument itself, allowing you to easily mine the Prismarine, Sea Lanterns, and Gold blocks without the constant threat of Guardians.
• Base Building: They are essential for clearing out space for large-scale underwater bases, tunnels, and farms, transforming Deep Ocean biomes into viable construction sites.

To maximize your efficiency, place sponges strategically from the top of the area down, or use a checkerboard pattern to clear large, flat areas quickly. The combination of a successful Ocean Monument raid and the instant drying trick in the Nether makes acquiring and using Sponges a simple, repeatable process, paving the way for your next monumental build.