The invention relates to an aqueous composition incorporating quaternary ammonium salt or amine oxide surfactant and cumene sulphonate, xylene sulphonate, toluene sulphonate or mixtures thereof and displaying pronounced shear thinning behaviour, i.e., exhibiting high viscosities at low rates of shear and intended to be applied to non-horizontal structural surfaces. These compositions comprise: a. from 0.1% to 10% by weight of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium compounds and tertiary amine oxides, b. from 0.01% to 3% by weight of an organic anionic sulphonate selected from the group consisting of cumene sulphonate, xylene sulphonate, and toluene sulphonate, in their acid or salt form, and mixtures thereof, and c. water, wherein optionally one or more cleaning, deesinfecting and/or odourizing agents may be dissolved or dispersed. Acid-containing compositions are preferred and more particularly those containing 1-10% by weight of citric acid or hydrochloric acid. The invention also relates to thickening compositions, containing above-mentioned nitrogen containing surfactant and the sulphonate and to processes of cleaning non-horizontal surfaces.