Sulfur based metal cleaners

A composition suitable as a metallic cleaning agent comprising from about 85.0 to about 99.65 wt. % water, from about 0.1 to about 5.0 wt. % Group IA or IIA metal hydroxide, and from about 0.25 to about 10.0 wt. % of at least one sulfur containing compound selected from the group consisting of a dialkylaminoalkyl dithiocarbamic acid represented by:

• ##STR7## and a mercapto alkanone represented by ##STR8## and a trimethylene ring sulfur compound represented by ##STR9## wherein R represents any alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent any alkylene radical having 1-8 and 1-4 carbon atoms each respectively, R.sup.3 represents any alkyl radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n equal 0, 1, or 2.

A process for cleaning metallic steel surfaces which comprises bringing said metallic steel surfaces into contact with a composition comprising water, and effective amounts of at least one Group IA or IIA metal hydroxide and at least one sulfur containing compound selected from the group consisting of a dialkylaminoalkyl dithiocarbamic acid represented by:

• ##STR10## and a mercapto alkanone represented by ##STR11## and a trimethylene ring sulfur compound represented by ##STR12## wherein R represents any alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent any alkylene radical having 1-8 and 1-4 carbon atoms each respectively, R.sup.3 represents any alkyl radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n equals 0, 1, or 2.

A process for cleaning metallic steel surfaces which comprises bringing said metallic steel surfaces into contact with a composition comprising from about 85.0 to about 99.65 wt. % water, from about 0.1 to about 5.0 wt. % of Group IA or IIA metal hydroxide, and from about 0.25 to about 10.0 wt. % of at least one sulfur containing compound selected from the group consisting of a dialkylaminoalkyl dithiocarbamic acid represented by:

• ##STR13## and a mercapto alkanone represented by ##STR14## and a trimethylene ring sulfur compound represented by ##STR15## wherein R represents any alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represents any alkylene radical having 1-8 and 1-4 carbon atoms each respectively, R.sup.3 represents any alkyl radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n equals 0, 1, or 2.

A process for cleaning of brass and copper metal surfaces which comprises bringing said brass and metallic copper surfaces into contact with a composition comprising water, and an effective amount of a Group IA or IIA metal hydroxide and at least one sulfur containing compound selected from the group consisting of a mercapto alkanone represented by ##STR16## and a trimethylene ring sulfur compound represented by ##STR17## wherein R represents any alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 represents any alkylene radical having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R.sup.3 represents any alkyl radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n equals 0, 1, or 2.

A process for cleaning brass and copper metallic surfaces comprising bringing said brass and copper metallic surfaces into contact with a composition comprising from about 85.0 to about 99.65 wt. % water, from about 0.1 to about 5.0 wt. % Group IA or IIA metal hydroxide, and from about 0.25 to about 10.0 wt. % of at least one sulfur containing compound selected from the group consisting of a mercapto alkanone represented by ##STR18## and a trimethylene ring sulfur compound represented by ##STR19## wherein R represents an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 represents any alkylene radical having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R.sup.3 represents any alkyl radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n equals 0, 1, or 2.