As　a　common　pollutant　in　wastewater,　surfactant　is　a　major　factor　for　membrane　wetting　in　direct　contact　membrane　distillation　(DCMD)　process.　Many　studies　have　been　reported　to　develop　anti-wetting　membranes,　but　few　study　focused　on　hydrophobicity　recovery　of　membranes　wetted　by　surfactants.　Membrane　wetting　caused　by　different　surfactants　in　DCMD　was　evaluated　through　net　and　liquid　flux,　and　hydrophobicity　recovery　of　the　wetted　membranes　using　water　washing　and　drying　was　systematically　assessed.　The　results　showed　that　wetting　rates　and　degrees　varied,　with　hexadecyl　trimethyl　ammonium　bromide　(CTAB)　inducing　the　fastest　and　the　most　serious　wetting,　followed　by　Tween　20　and　sodium　dodecyl　sulfate　(SDS).　With　respect　to　cleaning　via　washing　and　drying,　the　membranes　wetted　by　SDS　and　CTAB　exhibited　good　hydrophobicity　recovery,　but　the　hydrophobicity　of　the　membranes　wetted　by　Tween　20　was　not　effectively　restored.　Alternatively,　a　good　hydrophobicity　recovery　was　also　achieved　when　the　membranes　wetted　by　Tween　20　were　soaked　in　CTAB　before　washing　and　drying.　The　hydrophobicity　recovery　was　improved　with　the　increase　in　CTAB　ratio　during　filtration　of　the　mixture　of　CTAB　and　Tween　20.　The　results　could　provide　guidance　for　restoring　hydrophobicity　of　the　membranes　wetted　by　surfactants　via　optimized　cleaning　approaches.　©　2022　Elsevier　B.V.