JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<div class="container">
<ul>
    <li></li>
    <li></li>
    <li></li>
    <li></li>
    <li></li>
</ul>
</div>

CSS

ul {
    width: 100px;
}
li {
    background: red;
    width: 20px;
    height: 100px;
    display: inline-block;
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
}

JavaScript

jQuery.fn.cleanWhitespace = function() {
    textNodes = this.contents().filter(
        function() { return (this.nodeType == 3 && !/\S/.test(this.nodeValue)); })
        .remove();
    return this;
}

$('.container').cleanWhitespace();