The effects of major cations in soils, soil : extractant ratio, and EDTA : lead stoichiometric ratio on the extraction efficiency of lead using EDTA were studied for 4 different actual lead-contaminated soils and one artificially lead-contaminated soil. Extraction of lead from the lead-contaminated soil was not affected by a soil : extractant ratio as low as 1 : 3 but instead was dependent on the quantity of EDTA present. Results of the experiments showed that the extraction efficiency for each soil was different, but if sufficiently large amount of EDTA was applied, all the lead may be extracted except for a soil from lead mining area. The differences in extraction efficiencies nay be due to the major cations present in soils which may compete with lead for active sites on EDTA. The total molar amount of major cations extracted was as muck as 20 times more than the added molar amount of EDTA. For some of the soils tested, the extraction efficiency of lead may be affected by being occluded in the Fe and Mn oxides present in the soil. While major cations present in the soil may be one of the factors affecting lead extraction efficiency, the type of lead species present may also play a role. When these factors affect severely, the using of EDTA to extract lead from lead-contaminated soil might be non-effective method.