Engine cleaning composition and method for cleaning the engine

A method for cleaning an engine comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a cleaning composition produced by mixing the following ingredients:
• 7-70% of hydroxy acid by weight of the cleaning composition;
• 3-50% of at least one alkanol amine by weight of the cleaning composition provided that the total weight percent of hydroxy acid and the at least one alkanol amine is 10-100% by weight of the cleaning composition;
• 0-90% of surfactant by weight of the cleaning composition;
• 0-90% of solvent by weight of the cleaning composition;
• and
• 0-90 wt % of water;
• (b) contacting the engine with the cleaning composition for a predetermined period of time.

An engine cleaning composition, comprising:

• (i) 10-100 wt % of an alkanol amine hydroxy carboxylate represented by formula (I):
• RCHOHCOONHa+1(CH2)nOH)b (I)
• wherein n is an integer in the range of 1 to 10;
• a is 0, 1 or 2;
• b is 1, 2 or 3;
• such that a+b=3;
• R represents hydrogen atom or alkyl;
• (ii) 0-90 wt % of a surfactant;
• (iii) 0-90 wt % of a solvent;
• and
• (iv) 0-90 wt % of balanced water;