A suitable non-ionic surfactant iodophor complex may be prepared by dissolving in acidified water a sufficient quantity, as for example, between 90 and 99 percent by weight of the selected non-ionic surface active agent as for example, octylphenoxypoly-(ethyleneoxy) ethanol, wherein R is an octylphenoxy group and R' is a hydrogen and n is nine, and adding from 1 to 12 grams of iodide ion obtained