The separation of different types of surfactants of all four groups - anionics, nonionics, cationics and amphoterics, has been achieved by single development on silica plates. Ethanol and a mixture of ethanol with water have been used as the developer instead of various mixtures of much more toxic solvents (chloroform, benzene etc.). A new mode of detection with water has been applied among known agents of detection such as UV light (254 nm and 366 nm) and iodine. Anionic surfactants have shown characteristic white spots with gas bubbles after development with ethanol and detection with water. As auxiliary methods in classification of surfactants by charge type colour reactions, obtained by indicator dyes such as methylene blue, KJ3, and bromphenol blue, have been used as simple detection tests. The reliability of the recommended TLC method has been tested on 28 different surfactants, for which the RFvalues, forms and colours of spots, and gas bubbles have been determined.