What is the best way to get rid of water in Minecraft?

Water can be a stubborn substance to remove from an area in a Minecraft world.

Going block by block and filling the water with solid blocks like dirt or cobblestone is certainly one way to remove it. However, this method isn't very effective with larger bodies of water.

Using buckets to remove water can be even more arduous, especially if there are enough water source blocks nearby to replenish the water removed.

When it comes to removing water in the popular sandbox game, sponge blocks stand out among the rest.

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Why sponge blocks are ideal for removing water in Minecraft

A sponge block cutting through and absorbing the midsection of a body of water (Image via Mojang)

Sponge is an incredibly helpful block when removing water in Minecraft.

Often found within ocean monuments or dropped by elder guardians, sponge blocks essentially convert water into air blocks. This is done through absorption.

When a sponge intakes water, it will become a wet sponge block and will need to be dried before it can absorb more water. This can easily be accomplished by placing the sponge block in a furnace or down in the Nether.

While sponge blocks may initially not seem like a great investment compared to solid blocks, their absorption capability gives them a significant advantage.

Sponge blocks can remove both flowing and source water up to seven blocks away in any direction. When correctly chained together, these blocks can remove huge swaths of water in a relatively short time.

The only major drawback of sponges is their scarcity. Outside of ocean monuments, finding the blocks in Survival Mode is difficult. This is obviously not an issue for those playing in Creative Mode or using Minecraft's cheat console. However, other players should be prepared for a dangerous undertaking if they want to obtain sponges.

Guardians and elder guardians aren't shy about attacking players if they approach ocean monuments. Before heading out to collect sponge blocks, players should equip themselves with quality weapons and armor. These should ideally be enchanted with effects like Aqua Affinity, Depth Strider, or Respiration to avoid constantly surfacing for air.

Once players have obtained enough sponge blocks, removing water in Minecraft becomes incredibly easy. It may take a little time to dry out wet sponge blocks. However, if players have enough of these blocks, it will hardly matter in the grand scheme of things.