Use of a composition as a washing and cleaning agent for hard or flexible surfaces, as well as for textiles, carpets or natural fibres in the fields of industrial, institutional, textile and household cleaning containing at least one compound of formula R'-O(C b H 2b O) o -{CH 2 -CH[O(C b H 2b O) p R"]-CH 2 O} r -(C b H 2b O) q -R′′′ with b an integer between 2 and 4, o, p, q independently of one another integers from 0 to 75, where o+p+q is at least 2, r is 0 or 1, R', R" and R′′′ are each independently of each other H, CH 2 COOM, or RCO, wherein one or two, preferably one, of the radicals R', R" and R′′′ represent CH 2 COOM: If R' = CH 2 COOM then o≠0 applies, if R" = CH 2 COOM then p≠0 applies, if R′′′= CH 2 COOM then q≠0 applies, with M = H, alkaline cation, alkaline earth cation, ammonium cation, or organic ammonium cation, and where one or two of the radicals R', R" and R′′′ represent fatty acyl radicals RCO; with R representing a saturated, mono- or poly unsaturated hydrocarbon chain having 5-23 carbon atoms; which is derived from a C-18 vegetable oil; wherein the proportion of the fatty acyl radicals RCO of 18 and more carbon atoms in compound or in the mixture of compounds is above 60% wt.%, preferably above 72% wt.%, and most preferably above 77 wt.%; and the proportion of unsaturated fatty acyl radicals is above 55 wt.%, preferably above 65 wt.% and particularly preferably above 72 wt.%, in each case based on the total proportion of fatty acyl radicals RCO of the one or more compounds in the composition; and wherein said compound preferably consists of a mixture of different chain lengths and degrees of saturation of the fatty acyl radical RCO; and wherein the polyglycol chain of compound is preferably of vegetable origin; and wherein the composition additionally comprises one or more surfactants selected from the group of soaps, fatty acid amides, fatty acid imines and ethoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters, wherein the fatty acid residues are each derived from C-18 vegetable oils and are preferably present as a mixture according to the fatty acid distribution in the native oil or as obtained from the conversion of natural vegetable oils or fats; and wherein the composition does not contain biosurfactant glycolipids from fermentative production. b an integer between 2 and 4, o, p, q independently of one another integers from 0 to 75, where o+p+q is at least 2, r is 0 or 1, R', R" and R′′′ are each independently of each other H, CH 2 COOM, or RCO, wherein one or two, preferably one, of the radicals R', R" and R′′′ represent CH 2 COOM: If R' = CH 2 COOM then o≠0 applies, if R" = CH 2 COOM then p≠0 applies, if R′′′= CH 2 COOM then q≠0 applies, with M = H, alkaline cation, alkaline earth cation, ammonium cation, or organic ammonium cation, and where one or two of the radicals R', R" and R′′′ represent fatty acyl radicals RCO; with R representing a saturated, mono- or poly unsaturated hydrocarbon chain having 5-23 carbon atoms; which is derived from a C-18 vegetable oil; wherein the proportion of the fatty acyl radicals RCO of 18 and more carbon atoms in compound or in the mixture of compounds is above 60% wt.%, preferably above 72% wt.%, and most preferably above 77 wt.%; and the proportion of unsaturated fatty acyl radicals is above 55 wt.%, preferably above 65 wt.% and particularly preferably above 72 wt.%, in each case based on the total proportion of fatty acyl radicals RCO of the one or more compounds in the composition; and wherein said compound preferably consists of a mixture of different chain lengths and degrees of saturation of the fatty acyl radical RCO; and wherein the polyglycol chain of compound is preferably of vegetable origin; and wherein the composition additionally comprises one or more surfactants selected from the group of soaps, fatty acid amides, fatty acid imines and ethoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters, wherein the fatty acid residues are each derived from C-18 vegetable oils and are preferably present as a mixture according to the fatty acid distribution in the native oil or as obtained from the conversion of natural vegetable oils or fats; and wherein the composition does not contain biosurfactant glycolipids from fermentative production.