Methods and cleaning compositions for removing organic materials from metallic surfaces

Abstract

Methods and cleaning compositions are provided for more effectively removing oil, grease, paint, varnish and other organic coatings from metallic surfaces in industrial equipment, oil well tubular goods and the like. The metallic surfaces are contacted with a cleaning composition comprised of an aqueous solution of an alkaline material, a nonionic surface active agent and a wetting agent for a period of time sufficient to remove the organic materials therefrom. The nonionic surface active agent is an alkylarylpolyether alcohol having an ethylene oxide content in the range of from about 10 to about 13 units of ethylene oxide per molecule, and the wetting agent is selected from the group consisting of aromatic phosphate esters of the formulae: ##STR1## and mixtures of such phosphate esters wherein x has a value in the range of from about 4 to about 6.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.