Fabrication of low-cost ceramic ultrafiltration membrane made from bentonite clay and its application for soluble dyes removal

•Bentonite UF membrane layer was effectively prepared via spin-coating method.•The influence of bentonite concentration on membrane properties was investigated.•Bentonite membrane was applied for removal of Direct Red 80 and Rhodamine B.•High dyes rejection is due to both sieving mechanism and electrostatic interactions.•The prepared bentonite membrane could be used to treat real industrial wastewater.