A cleaning composition is disclosed comprising a method of cleaning a substrate to remove a residue from the substrate by using a cleaning composition comprising (a) a decarboxylated rosin acid (DCR), and (b) optionally a diluent. The residue is selected from soil, dirt, sand, food, oil, grease, paint, ink, glue, adhesive, sealant, wax, tar, graffiti, asphalt, buffing compounds, cutting fluids, and mixtures thereof. At least 0.3 wt.% of the residue is removed from the substrate per cleaning cycle, based on total weight of the residue present on the substrate. The cleaning composition is stable and is effective in removing the residue from hard or soft substrates.