Thickened aqueous composition for the cleaning of a ceramic surface and methods of preparation thereof and cleaning therewith

A method of cleaning a ceramic substrate, comprising contacting a ceramic substrate with an alkaline, abrasive-free, cleaning composition which comprises, in aqueous solution, a colloidal aluminum oxide thickener in an amount of from about 0.650 to about 1.00 weight percent of the composition;

• at least one secondary alkane sulfonate surfactant and at least one amine oxide surfactant, the surfactants together effective to provide cleaning activity and, in association with said alumina thickener, thickening, the surfactants in an amount of from about 0.2 to about 7.0 weight percent of the composition;
• an electrolyte/buffer effective to promote an environment in which said alumina thickener and said surfactants associate to provide thickening, the electrolyte/buffer in an amount of equal to or greater than about 2.0 weight percent of the composition;
• a halogen bleach in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 9.0 weight percent of the composition;
• a fatty acid soap;
• and calcium chloride in an amount effective to provide divalent ionic calcium in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 1.0 weight percent of the composition.

An alkaline, abrasive-free composition for cleaning a ceramic substrate, comprising, in aqueous solution:

• a colloidal aluminum oxide thickener in an amount of from about 0.65 to about 1.00 weight percent of the composition;
• at least one surfactant, the surfactant alone, or a plurality of surfactants together, effective to provide cleaning activity and, in association with said alumina thickener, thickening, the surfactant in an amount of from about 0.2 to about 7.0 weight percent of the composition;
• an electrolyte/buffer effective to promote an environment in which said alumina thickener and said at least one surfactant associate to provide thickening, the electrolyte/buffer in an amount of equal to or greater than about 2.0 weight percent of the composition;
• and
• a halogen bleach in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 9.0 weight percent of the composition;
• and
• calcium chloride in an amount to provide 0.05 to about 1.0 weight percent of the composition as ionic calcium.