Table of Contents
Who this is for: Minecraft players dealing with water removal, ocean monument raids, or underwater building projects.
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Furnace Method: The Most Common Way
The fastest and most reliable way to dry a wet sponge in Minecraft is by using a furnace. Simply place your wet sponge in the top slot of a furnace and add any fuel (coal, wood, charcoal) to the bottom slot. The smelting process takes about 10 seconds, and you’ll get a dry sponge plus a water bucket as a bonus.
This method works in all versions of Minecraft and is perfect when you have multiple wet sponges to process quickly. The water bucket you receive can be useful for other crafting recipes or building projects.
Nether Placement: Automatic Drying
You can also dry sponges by placing them directly in the Nether dimension. When you place a wet sponge block in the Nether, it automatically becomes dry within seconds due to the hot, dry environment. This method doesn’t require fuel but means you need Nether access.
The Nether method is particularly handy when you’re already exploring there or if you want to save fuel for other smelting tasks. Just remember that you won’t get the water bucket bonus with this approach.
Why Sponges Get Wet
Sponges become wet when they absorb water blocks around them. A single dry sponge can soak up to 65 water source blocks in a 7×7×6 area, making them incredibly useful for clearing flooded areas, draining ocean monuments, or creating underwater builds.
Once a sponge absorbs water, it transforms into a wet sponge block that needs drying before it can absorb water again. This is why knowing how to dry them efficiently is crucial for large-scale water removal projects.
Tips for Efficient Sponge Drying
- Set up multiple furnaces to dry several sponges simultaneously
- Keep the water buckets you get from furnace drying – they’re valuable resources
- Consider building a small Nether outpost specifically for sponge drying if you do lots of underwater work
- Wet sponges stack up to 64, making them easy to transport in bulk
Whether you’re clearing an ocean monument or building an underwater base, mastering sponge drying will make your aquatic adventures much more manageable, and you can explore more water-based challenges in our collection of building and survival experiences.
TL;DR
Dry wet sponges in Minecraft using a furnace (10 seconds + gives water bucket) or by placing them in the Nether (instant, no fuel needed).
