The measurements of the advancing contact angle for water, formamide, glycerol, diiodomethane and aqueous solutions of Triton X-100 (TX-100), Triton X-165 (TX-165), sodium decylsulfate (SDS), sodium dodecylsulfate (SDDS), hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and hexadecylpyridinium bromide (CPyB) on the glass surface were carried out. Using the values of the contact angle of these liquids and solutions, the glass surface free energy as well as its components and parameters were determined. This energy, its components and parameters were used for interpretation of the glass wettability by the surfactants solutions in the light of the surfactants adsorption in the three-phase systems and the adhesion of the solution to the glass surface. It appeared that the surface free energy of glass determined from the contact angle of aqueous solution of surfactants on its surface is useful for the determination of the Gibbs surface excess concentration of surfactant at the glass air and glass solution interfaces and consequently, the Gibbs standard free energy of surfactant adsorption at these interfaces. It also appeared that by using the Neumann et al. and van Oss et al. equations, it is possible to predict the work of adhesion of aqueous solution of surfactant to the glass surface. (c) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.