Hydrophilic melamine sponge is transferred into hydrophobic melamine sponge by immersing the commercial melamine sponge cubes into zirconium oxychloride aqueous solution and followed by a simple dry process. The hydrophobicity transformation is assigned to the complex bonds constructed by the Zr4+ ions and N atoms, thus reducing the surface polarity. The modified melamine sponge presents excellent absorption capacities toward various oils and organic solvents (70-181 g/g). Its contact angle with water can reach 130 degrees or more, and displays good oil-water selectivity for both heavy oil and light oil. Besides, the sponge has stable chemical properties and good recyclability. This work presents a facile and low-cost method for fabrication of hydrophobic materials that might be used for the cleanup of oil spills. (C) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.