An aqueous alkaline composition comprising: at least one quaternary ammonium hydroxide; at least one component selected from the group consisting of water-soluble sulfonic acids and their water-soluble salts of the general formula I: (R 1 -SO 3 -) n X n+, water-soluble phosphonic acids and their water-soluble salts of the general formula II: R-PO 3 2- (X n+) 3-n; water-soluble sulfuric acid esters and their water-soluble salts of the general formula III: (RO-SO 3 -) n ( n+, water-soluble phosphoric acid esters and their water-soluble salts of the general formula: RO-PO 3 2- (X n+) 3-n, and water-soluble phosphoric acid esters and their water-soluble salts of the general formula: [ 2 PO 2 -] n X n+; wherein the index n = 1 or 2; the variable X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, ammonium, alkaline metal and alkaline-earth metal; the variable R 1 is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic moieties having 2 to 5 carbon atoms and at least one olefinically unsaturated double bond, and cycloaliphatic moieties having 4 to 6 carbon atoms and at least one olefinically unsaturated double bond; and the variable R is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic moieties having 2 to 5 carbon atoms and at least one olefinically unsaturated double bond, cycloaliphatic moieties having 4 to 6 carbon atoms and at least one olefinically unsaturated double bond, and alkylaryl moieties, wherein the aryl moieties are selected from benzene and naphthalene, the alkyl moieties are selected from methylene, ethane-diyl and propane-diyl, and the phosphorus atom in the general formula II is bonded directly and the sulfur atom in the general formula III and the phosphorus atom in the general formulas IV and V are each bonded via an oxygen atom to an aliphatic carbon atom; and a buffer system, wherein at least one component other than water is volatile. at least one quaternary ammonium hydroxide; at least one component selected from the group consisting of water-soluble sulfonic acids and their water-soluble salts of the general formula I: (R 1 -SO 3 -) n X n+, water-soluble phosphonic acids and their water-soluble salts of the general formula II: R-PO 3 2- (X n+) 3-n; water-soluble sulfuric acid esters and their water-soluble salts of the general formula III: (RO-SO 3 -) n ( n+, water-soluble phosphoric acid esters and their water-soluble salts of the general formula: RO-PO 3 2- (X n+) 3-n, and water-soluble phosphoric acid esters and their water-soluble salts of the general formula: [ 2 PO 2 -] n X n+; wherein the index n = 1 or 2; the variable X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, ammonium, alkaline metal and alkaline-earth metal; the variable R 1 is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic moieties having 2 to 5 carbon atoms and at least one olefinically unsaturated double bond, and cycloaliphatic moieties having 4 to 6 carbon atoms and at least one olefinically unsaturated double bond; and the variable R is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic moieties having 2 to 5 carbon atoms and at least one olefinically unsaturated double bond, cycloaliphatic moieties having 4 to 6 carbon atoms and at least one olefinically unsaturated double bond, and alkylaryl moieties, wherein the aryl moieties are selected from benzene and naphthalene, the alkyl moieties are selected from methylene, ethane-diyl and propane-diyl, and the phosphorus atom in the general formula II is bonded directly and the sulfur atom in the general formula III and the phosphorus atom in the general formulas IV and V are each bonded via an oxygen atom to an aliphatic carbon atom; and water-soluble sulfonic acids and their water-soluble salts of the general formula I: (R 1 -SO 3 -) n X n+, water-soluble phosphonic acids and their water-soluble salts of the general formula II: R-PO 3 2- (X n+) 3-n; water-soluble sulfuric acid esters and their water-soluble salts of the general formula III: (RO-SO 3 -) n ( n+, water-soluble phosphoric acid esters and their water-soluble salts of the general formula: RO-PO 3 2- (X n+) 3-n, and water-soluble phosphoric acid esters and their water-soluble salts of the general formula: [ 2 PO 2 -] n X n+; a buffer system, wherein at least one component other than water is volatile.