Sponge

Transparency	No
Luminance	No
Blast resistance	3
Tool	Any tool
Renewable	No
Stackable	Yes (64)
Flammable	No
Drops	Itself
Data value	dec: 19 hex: 13 bin: 10011
Name	sponge

	“	Just like in real life, sponges in Minecraft have handy absorbent powers. Once placed, the sponge block will slurp up surrounding water and any more water that's foolish enough to cross its path. Impressively, this thirsty block can drink up to 65 water blocks before becoming a wet sponge. Sadly, a wet sponge can't absorb any more H₂O, its glory days now long behind it.	„
		—Tom Stone^[1]

A sponge is a block that can be used to remove water around itself when placed, turning into a wet sponge in the process.

Obtaining[edit | edit source]

Either type of sponge can be mined by hand, or with any tool, dropping itself as an item. Mining time is not affected by the tool used.

Block	Sponge Wet Sponge
Hardness	0.6
Breaking time^{[note 1]}
Hand	0.9

↑ Times are for unenchanted tools in seconds.

Drops[edit | edit source]

An elder guardian drops one wet sponge when killed by the player. Since elder guardians do not respawn, this does not make sponges renewable.

Natural generation[edit | edit source]

Ocean monuments have a chance of generating one or more rooms containing wet sponges. Each room contains an average of 30 sponges.

Drying[edit | edit source]

	“	So you used a sponge and it's wet now? How about applying some heat to dry it, you might be able to reuse it. #CookMeASponge	„
		—Searge^[2]

A wet sponge can be dried in a furnace, making the sponge reusable.

Ingredients	Smelting recipe	Description
Wet sponge + any fuel		If a bucket is in the fuel slot at the time the sponge completes its drying, the water will drain into the bucket, leaving a bucket of water in the fuel slot. Otherwise, the water just evaporates.

Usage[edit | edit source]

A sponge absorbing water in a lake.

A sponge can be used to turn water into air (it "absorbs" the water). To place a sponge, use a sponge item while pointing at a surface facing the space the sponge should occupy.

A sponge instantly absorbs nearby water when it is placed next to water or when water comes into contact with it (by being placed next to the sponge, or by flowing towards it). A sponge absorbs water around itself (water source blocks or flowing water) out to a taxicab distance of 7 in all directions (including up and down), but won't absorb more than 65 blocks of water (water closest to the sponge will be absorbed first). The absorption only propagates from water to water and won't "jump over" non-water blocks (including air).

When a sponge absorbs water, it turns into a wet sponge, and will be incapable of absorbing more water in this state.

Data values[edit | edit source]

A sponge has the ID name minecraft:sponge and is further defined by its block data. A sponge also has a block state which is expected to replace the functionality of block data in a future version.

Block data[edit | edit source]

See also: Data values

	DV	Description
	0	Sponge
	1	Wet Sponge

Block state[edit | edit source]

See also: Block states

Name	Value	Description
wet	`true`	Wet Sponge
wet	`false`	Sponge

Achievements[edit | edit source]

Main article: Achievements

Icon	Achievement	In-game description	Actual requirements (if different)	Availability				Xbox points earned	Trophy type (PS)
Icon	Achievement	In-game description	Actual requirements (if different)	Xbox	PS	Bedrock	Nintendo	Xbox points earned	Trophy type (PS)
	Dry Spell	Dry a sponge in a furnace.		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	15G	Bronze

Video[edit | edit source]

History[edit | edit source]

Classic
May 24, 2009				Sponge was suggested on the TIGSource forums.
0.0.18a_02				Sponge block test.
0.0.19a				Added sponge. The sponge was a temporary fix to stop water from flooding until finite water was implemented. It soaked up water in a 5×5×5 volume around it. Sponges did not need light to survive, and would decay.
0.0.19a_06				Sponges no longer decay.
Infdev
?				Sponges became non-functional and available only by inventory editing.
Alpha
?				A sponge could be used in redstone builds for updating blocks, in conjunction with BUDs (block update detectors): if a sponge was placed and then removed, all blocks within its 5×5×5 range would be updated. The cause of this was some remaining code for the sponge's water removing property.
Beta
1.8				Sponges became available in Creative mode.
Official release
1.2.1			12w07a	Sponges would no longer update blocks within their 5×5×5 range.
1.8			June 8, 2014	Jeb tweeted that the ability to erase water blocks would be returned to the sponge. The linked image revealed that the sponge would have a new texture which becomes darker once it absorbs water.
			14w25a	Sponges were retextured, became obtainable in Survival Mode, and now soak up contiguous water source blocks out to a taxicab distance of 7 when placed, thereupon turning into the new wet sponge.
			14w25b	Wet sponges, when smelted, will fill an empty bucket in the fuel slot with water.
1.9			15w43a	Elder guardians will now drop dry sponges instead of wet ones.
1.11			16w33a	Elder guardians now drop wet sponges on player kills, rather than dry sponges.^[3]
Pocket Edition Alpha
0.8.0			build 2	Added sponges to Creative mode.
0.16.0			build 1	Sponges were retextured, became obtainable in Survival Mode, and now soak up contiguous water source blocks out to a taxicab distance of 7 when placed, thereupon turning into the new wet sponge.
0.16.0			build 1	Wet sponges, when smelted, will fill an empty bucket in the fuel slot with water.
Console Edition
TU5	CU1	1.0	Patch 1	Added sponges to Creative mode.
TU28	CU16	1.19	Patch 1	Updated texture.
TU31	CU19	1.22	Patch 3	Sponges are now obtainable in Survival Mode, and now soak up contiguous water source blocks out to a taxicab distance of 7 when placed, thereupon turning into the new wet sponge.