Oxidation of water-soluble hydroxyethyl cellulose with sodium hypochlorite has been studied under a variety of conditions. Variables studied included the concentration of sodium hypochlorite, pH, temperature, and catalyst. It was found that the rate of oxidation was increased by increasing the hypochlorite concentration and/or reaction temperatures. The rate is very slow in an alkaline medium and very rapid in neutral medium. The effect of catalyst on the rate of oxidation was also investigated. The apparent viscosities of the oxidized samples at various rates of shear were also investigated.