Sugar cane bagasse is a potential cellulose source, though usually used as a fuel source forrnthe boiler. This work reports concisely on a method to utilize sugar cane bagasse forrnpreparing sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and its characteristics. The desirablerncharacteristics that are imparted on the cellulose were the solubility, viscosity and othersrnwhich are responsible for many applications. Furthermore, in this work therncarboxymethylation reaction was optimized against the reaction temperature, reaction time,rnmonochloroacetate concentration and sodium hydroxide concentration. The sugar canernbagasse is obtained shortly after the juice is extracted in the roller mill. Sodium hydroxide,rnchloroacetic acid and isopropanol were used for the carboxymethylation process. Firstly, thernsugarcane bagasse was dried, ground to pass 1mm screen. Then the cellulose was extractedrnusing 4N NaOH at 100oC for 1 hour. Finally, cellulose was converted to carboxymethylrncellulose (CMC) by basification and etherification processes using sodiumrnmonochloroacetate and sodium hydroxide. Two reactions were taken place simultaneouslyrnduring carboxymethylation that were the primary reaction which produces purerncarboxymethyl cellulose and side reaction that produce undesired sodium glycolate. Therndegree of substitution and viscosity were determined and then analyzed with respect to thernreaction conditions using design expert statistical software. From the analysis the maximumrndegree of substitution was 1.92, and the maximum viscosity 25.4 cp. But after optimization ofrnreaction conditions had been carried out, the optimized degree of substitution was 1.79 andrnviscosity 14.63cp. These were obtained at a reaction temperature of 30oC, reaction time ofrn2.95 hours, NaOH concentration of 25% w/v and chloroacetic acid concentration of 0.5 w/w.rnIt is concluded that the sugarcane bagasse is a good source of cellulose that can be modifiedrnby etherification reaction to carboxymethylcellulose with a medium degree of substitution ofrnabout 1.79.rnKeywords: Degree of substitution, cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, sugar cane bagasse.