Metal cleaning compositions

A metal cleaning composition comprising:

• (A) a nonionic surface active agent or an anionic surface active agent having an HLB value ranging from 3 to 18, wherein said agent is contained in an amount of from 1 to 40 weight percent of the composition,
• (B) a carboxylic acid or salt thereof represented by the following general formula
• R--X'--(CH.sub.2).sub.m --COOM
• in which X represents >N--H, >N(CH.sub.2).sub.n --COOM or >CH--COOM, R represents a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having from 4 to 18 carbon atoms, phenyl group or tolyl group;
• m and n are independently an integer from 1 to 3, and M represents a cation, wherein said carboxylic acid or a salt thereof is contained in an amount of from 1 to 50 weight percent of the composition, and
• (C) a five-membered ring compound having either one nitrogen atom and one sulfur atom, or three nitrogen atoms, or a quinoline derivative having a hydroxyl group, wherein said five-membered ring compound or quinoline derivative is contained in an amount of from 0.05 to 2 weight percent of the composition,
• wherein said composition is formulated to be soluble in aqueous solution.