Citric acid modified cellulose waste (CMCW) was prepared via esterification and used as a low-cost biosorbent for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. The effects of biosorbent concentration, initial pH of MB solution, biosorption temperature, contact time, and initial MB concentration on the biosorption of MB were investigated using batch biosorption technique under static conditions. The experimental results showed that CMCW exhibited excellent biosorption characteristics for MB. The maximum biosorption capacity of MB was up to 214.5 mg/g at an adsorption temperature of 293 K. The removal rate of MB onto CMCW reached the maximum at pH>4 and the biosorption reached an equilibrium at about 50 min. The kinetic data can be described well with the pseudo-second-order model and the isotherm data was found to fit the Langmuir isotherm with a monolayer adsorption capacity of 211.42 mg/g. The biosorption appears to be controlled by chemisorption and may be involved in surface adsorption and pore diffusion during the whole biosorption process.