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The present invention discloses an improved cleaning composition for cleaning metal surfaces such as aluminum and aluminum-containing alloys. The cleaning composition of the present invention comprises water and an ethoxylate of an alcohol having Formula R1—OH wherein R1 is a saturated or unsaturate

The present invention discloses an improved cleaning composition for cleaning metal surfaces such as aluminum and aluminum-containing alloys. The cleaning composition of the present invention comprises water and an ethoxylate of an alcohol having Formula R1—OH wherein R1 is a saturated or unsaturated, straight-chain or branched aliphatic having from 12 to 80 carbon atoms; an inorganic pH adjusting component; and at least one surfactant that is different than the ethoxylate set forth above. The cleaning composition of the present invention also has an average water-break-free percent reduction of less than 50% after 7 days aging of a working composition prepared from the cleaning composition. The present invention also provides a method of cleaning a metal surface with the cleaning composition of the invention.

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1. A method of cleaning an aluminum or aluminum alloy container, the method comprising: a) placing an aluminum or aluminum alloy container in an industrial can washer;b) cleaning said container with a cleaning composition having a pH of less than 2 and maintaining the cleaning composition temperatur

1. A method of cleaning an aluminum or aluminum alloy container, the method comprising: a) placing an aluminum or aluminum alloy container in an industrial can washer;b) cleaning said container with a cleaning composition having a pH of less than 2 and maintaining the cleaning composition temperature above the cleaning composition cloud point for a sufficient time to clean a metal surface of the container, the cleaning composition comprising water and components: A) an ethoxylate of an alcohol, said alcohol having Formula I: R1—OH  (I)wherein R1 is a saturated or unsaturated, straight-chain or branched alkyl having from 12 to 18 carbon atoms having a 6 moles to 16 moles ethoxylation present in an amount of about 0.05 g/l to about 15 g/l;B) an inorganic pH adjusting component; andC) at least one surfactant that is different than component A present in an amount of about 0.05 g/l to about 15 g/l; andc) after cleaning step b) c1) rinsing the aluminum or aluminum alloy container with tap water thereby removing the cleaning composition from the container to provide a clean container. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal surface is contacted with the cleaning composition for about 1 second to about 1800 seconds and the aluminum or aluminum alloy container comprises an aluminum can. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal surface is contacted with the cleaning composition at a temperature from about 60° F. to about 180° F. 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising: c2) rinsing the aluminum or aluminum alloy container after c1) with a surface modifying agent dissolved in a final deionized water rinse or in a separate application stage following a virgin deionized water rinse; andd) drying the aluminum or aluminum alloy container. 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising contacting the metal surface with a conversion coating. 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising contacting the metal surface with a surface modifying agent. 7. The method of claim 1 wherein after step b), greater than 50% of total surface area of an exterior wall of the aluminum container supports a continuous film of water. 8. The method of claim 1 wherein R1 is a saturated or unsaturated, straight-chain or branched alkyl having from 12 to 16 carbon atoms. 9. The method of claim 1 wherein R1 is a saturated or unsaturated, straight-chain or branched alkyl having from 16 to 18 carbon atoms. 10. The method of claim 1 wherein R1 is a mixture of straight-chain and branched alkyl having from 14 to 18 carbon atoms. 11. The method of claim 1 wherein R1 is CH3(CH2)17—, CH3(CH2)13 or CH3(CH2)14—. 12. The method of claim 1 wherein component A is a 7 to 16 mole ethoxylate. 13. The method of claim 1 wherein component A is a 7 to 16 mole ethoxylate and R1 is a saturated or unsaturated, straight-chain or branched alkyl having from 12 to 16 carbon atoms. 14. The method of claim 1 wherein: Component A is a 15 mole ethoxylate and R1 is a saturated or unsaturated, straight-chain or branched alkyl having 13 carbon atoms; orComponent A is a 11 to 12 mole ethoxylate and R1 is a saturated or unsaturated, straight-chain or branched alkyl having 12 to 15 carbon atoms; orComponent A is a 10 mole ethoxylate and R1 is a saturated or unsaturated, straight-chain or branched alkyl having 16 carbon atoms; orComponent A is a 10 mole ethoxylate and R1 is a saturated or unsaturated, straight-chain or branched alkyl having 18 carbon atoms; orComponent A is a 12 to 13 mole ethoxylate and R1 is an 85% linear alkyl having 14 to 15 carbon atoms. 15. The method of claim 1 wherein R1 is a saturated or unsaturated, straight-chain or branched alkyl having from 14 to 18 carbon atoms and the ethoxylate is a 10 to 16 mole ethoxylate. 16. The method of claim 1 wherein Component A) and Component C) are present in amounts resulting in a ratio of Component A) to Component C) of at least 1:1. 17. The method of claim 3 wherein the cleaning composition has a cloud point greater than about 125° F. 18. The method of claim 15 wherein Component C) comprises a surfactant selected from the group consisting of propoxylated alcohols, sodium 2-ethyl hexyl sulfate, alkyl polyethoxylated ethers with a propoxylate cap, octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol, block-copolymers based on ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, and mixtures thereof. 19. The method of claim 15 wherein Component A) is present in an amount from about 0.05 gram/liter to about 10 gram/liter of the cleaning composition;Component B) comprises an inorganic acid present in a positive amount less than or equal to about 20 gram/liter of the cleaning composition; andComponent C) is present in an amount from about 0.05 gram/liter to about 10 gram/liter of the cleaning composition. 20. A method of cleaning a metal surface, the method comprising: a) contacting an aluminum or aluminum alloy containing metal surface with a cleaning composition at a sufficient temperature above the cloud point to result in micelle aggregation and for a sufficient time to clean metal working soils from the metal surface, the cleaning composition comprising water and components: A) an ethoxylate of an alcohol, said alcohol having Formula I R1—OH  Iwherein R1 is a saturated or unsaturated, straight-chain or branched alkyl having from 10 to 25 carbon atoms having a 5 moles or greater ethoxylation; Component A being present in an amount of about 0.05 g/l to about 3 g/l;B) an inorganic pH adjusting component present in an amount sufficient to provide the cleaning composition with a pH of less than 2; andC) at least one surfactant that is different than Component A); present in an amount of about 0.05 g/l to about 3 g/l; andb) thereafter rinsing the metal surface with tap water thereby removing remaining cleaning composition from the metal surface to render the metal surface water-break-free. 21. The method of claim 20 wherein the contacting step takes place in a power spray washer and the metal surface is contacted with the cleaning composition for about 1 second to about 1800 seconds, and wherein the aluminum or aluminum alloy containing metal surface is an aluminum container and the metal surface is contacted with the cleaning composition at a temperature from about 60° F. to about 180° F. 22. The method of claim 20 wherein prior to step a) the aluminum or aluminum alloy containing metal surface is subjected to a drawing and/or forming operation and the metal working soils comprise lubricants and forming oils. 23. The method of claim 20 further comprising: c) drying the metal surface; andd) applying at least one decorative coating or sanitary lacquer. 24. The method of claim 20 further comprising contacting the metal surface with a conversion coating. 25. The method of claim 20 wherein R1 is a saturated or unsaturated, straight-chain or branched alkyl having from 10 to 16 carbon atoms. 26. The method of claim 20 wherein R1 is a saturated alkyl having from 11 to 25 carbon atoms. 27. The method of claim 20 wherein R1 is a mixture of straight-chain and branched alkyl having from 12 to 25 carbon atoms and the ethoxylation is 10 moles or greater. 28. The method of claim 20 wherein Component C) comprises a surfactant selected from the group consisting of propoxylated alcohols, sodium 2-ethyl hexyl sulfate, alkyl polyethoxylated ethers with a propoxylate cap, octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol, block-copolymers based on ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, and mixtures thereof. 29. The method of claim 23 further comprising a step of contacting the metal surface with a surface modifying agent after step b). 30. A method of cleaning an aluminum or aluminum alloy container, the method comprising: a) placing an aluminum or aluminum alloy container in an industrial can washer;b) cleaning metal working soils from said container by spraying in the industrial can washer with a cleaning composition, having a pH of less than 2, comprising water and components: A) an ethoxylate of an alcohol, said alcohol having Formula I: R1—OH  (I)wherein R1 is a saturated or unsaturated, straight-chain or branched alkyl having from 10 to 16 carbon atoms having a 7 moles to 20 moles ethoxylation present in an amount of about 0.05 g/l to about 3 g/l;B) an inorganic pH adjusting component comprising 1 g/l to 20 g/l sulfuric acid; andC) at least one surfactant that is different than component A present in an amount of about 0.05 g/l to about 3 g/l; andc) immediately after step b) rinsing the cleaned container with water to rinse cleaner residues from the container to render the container water-break-free;wherein C) is selected from an alkoxylated alcohol different from the ethoxylate of an alcohol (A), sodium 2-ethylhexyl sulfate, an alkyl polyethoxylated ether with a propoxylate cap, an octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol, and block copolymers based on ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.