The effects of hydrophobic chain length and its structure of nonionic surfactants on surfactant adsorption and contaminated diesel removal were studied in kaolin soil. Hydrocarbon chain length and double bond in hydrophobic tail group of nonionic surfactants affected surfactant adsorption and diesel removal efficiency from kaolin soil. The degrees of surfactant adsorption and diesel removal were closely related each other. Among nonionic surfactants we studied, surfactants with shorter hydrophobic chain length and higher HLB value showed lower degree of adsorption and higher efficiency of diesel removal. The existence of unsaturated carbons in the structure of hydrophobic chain enhanced diesel removal by reducing surfactant adsorption to kaolin soil. The best diesel removal was obtained after adsorption saturation was reached. If surfactant concentration was higher than a critical value, diesel removal was reduced probably because of precipitation. liquid crystal formation, or coacervation of surfactants at high concentration.