A siphoning device suited for automatically removing fluid/blood from a surgical site is described, having a length of sterile flexible tubing that is configurable into a loop, the tubing having a first open end, a second open end, and a central portion. A plurality of holes punctuate the circumference of either the first open end or the central portion of the loop, the one or more sets of holes being distributed along a longitudinal direction of the tubing. A sterile absorbent covering encompasses the one or more sets of the plurality of holes, the covering being permeable to bodily fluids. The siphoning device is connected to a vacuum system that generates a negative pressure, causing fluids that have accumulated in the absorbent covering to be withdrawn into the vacuum system. Accordingly, a durable, simple non-gauze system for automatically clearing blood/fluid from a surgical site is described.