Up to four tannin extracts from different natural vegetal sources were gelified with formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. The feasible combinations were tested in the removal of Zn2+, methylene blue (MB) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in aqueous solutions. So-called tanningels resulted highly effective in the elimination of these pollutants, although the best combinations of tannin and aldehyde involved those from cypress and pine and formaldehyde in a ratio of 3.68 mmol g−1. Maximum capacity values of Pinus tannin gel (PTG) regarding dye and detergent removal reached 1.56 mmol g−1 and 1.91 mmol g−1, respectively, and followed a Langmuir isotherm. These capacity values are similar or even higher to those obtained in previous research works where activated carbon or other raw materials were used as adsorbents