The effect of the surfactant on the reactive dye adsorption depended strongly on the surfactant type and the structure of the dye. Non-ionic and anionic surfactants exhibited no or a relatively small effect on C.I. Reactive Black 5 and C.I. Reactive Red 2 adsorption, whereas the effect of these surfactants on C.I. Reactive Red 120 adsorption was much more pronounced. The cationic surfactant had a strongly negative effect on adsorption of all three dyes