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Biodegradable, economical, eco-friendly, and readily available plant-based mucilages have advanced the water treatment technology significantly and replaced the toxic sludge-producing synthetic water purifiers such as ferric chloride, alum, polyaluminium chloride, polyacrylamide, and inorganic polymers. The plant-based mucilages are becoming increasingly popular due to lesser chemical residues and disease risks. The main components of plant-based mucilages are the primary sugars such as D -galactose , L -arabinose, and D -xylose that are very efficient for removal of metals and toxic substances from water. The present review focuses on using the most efficient natural mucilages from different plants to remediate different types of wastewaters such as drinking, textile, and industrial. The polymer bridging and charge neutralization were considered primary processes of mucilages for removing water contaminants such as trace elements (Pb, Cr, Cd, As, Fe, Ni, and Mn), total suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, turbidity, total dissolved solids, suspended materials, and dye decoloration. [Display omitted] • Mucilages are natural biomaterials produced by plants via myxospermy or myxocarpy. • Polysaccharide mucilages mainly consist of arabinose, galactose, rhamnose, and xylose. • Mucilages are promising substitutes for synthetic sludge-producing water refiners. • Mucilages remediate polluted water mainly by adsorption and charge neutralization. • Commercial production and standardization of mucilages to treat water is demanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]