Fenton's reagent, a strong oxidant, was evaluated for suitability to treat soils contaminated with 2‐methylnaphthalene (an aromatic compound), n‐hexdecane (an aliphatic compound) and diesel fuel (a complicated hydrocarbon mixture). Laboratory‐scale results show that Fenton's reagent reacts rapidly with these materials in soil, and will completely mineralize them if enough hydrogen peroxide is added. The effectiveness of the reaction at neutral pH indicates that it should be easier and more cost‐effective to apply this technology since no pH adjustment is required prior to soil treatment. Further investigation is required to identify the reaction mechanisms and optimize the parameters to attain the most cost‐effective full scale application of this technology.