This invention relates to a liquid cleaning composition or shampoo comprising a surfactant system containing a dianionic or alkoxylated dianionic surfactant having a structural skeleton of at least five carbon atoms to which two anionic substituent groups spaced at least three atoms apart are attached, wherein one anionic substituent group is a sulfate group or an alkoxy-linked sulfate group and the other anionic substituent is selected from sulfate and sulfonate optionally alkoxy-linked, in combination with one or more other co-surfactants.