A water based cleaning solvent primarily containing urea hydrochloride and also containing, in lesser amounts, an amphoteric and/or nonionic surfactant, an ethylamine, and a lesser amount of corrosion inhibitor based upon butyne cleans stainless steel and aluminum surfaces, especially exterior and interior surfaces associated with transportation of both materials, edible and otherwise, and people, most particularly railway transportation comprehensive of both tanks for liquids and other containers for fluent materials, and also including passenger rail cars possessing polycarbonate glazed acrylic windows. This solvent is proposed as a replacement for phosphate based cleaners as an environmentally superior alternative and when used in a conventional pressurized spraying system is effective in obtaining a bright finish on stainless steel and aluminum surfaces with consequent corrosion of neither of these nor polycarbonate surfaces if present.