A group of non-ionic surfactants with the same hydrophobic moiety (an oleyl group) but in creasing hydrophilic ethylene oxide moienes were compared for the relative detergency power at concentrations between 1 and 10%. The HLB (hydrophile-lipophile balance), the cloud point, and the temperature were all found to be factors affecting detergency. Distilled water was used to eliminate the additional parameter of water hardness. -- AATA