Absorption of water by relatively dry soil and by chromatography paper, and desorption of water by clay, were measured at constant temperatures close to 278K, 293K, and 306K. Within experimental error, temperature affected absorption of water by soil and chromatography paper simply according to the temperature dependence of the kinematic viscosity and of the air–liquid surface tension of pure water. Desorption of water by saturated bentonite slurry, where there were no air–water interfaces, scaled simply according to the temperature effects on the kinematic viscosity of pure water.