The present invention is a thickened viscoelastic cleaning composition comprising, in aqueous solution:(a) 0.1 to 5 weight percent of an active cleaning compound; and(b) 0.5 to 20 weight percent a viscoelastic thickening system comprising a hexadecyl dialkyl amine oxide and an organic counterion, and wherein a ratio of amine oxide to counterion is between 4:1 to 1:2, the system possesses a Trouton ratio of at least about 50 at a shear rate of 500-10,000 sec..sup.-1, and an initial viscosity at 21.degree. C. and 5 rpm of at least 20 cP.The present invention is characterized as a means of reducing the characteristic "bleach odor" found in hypochlorite cleaning compositions of the art, particularly those which are volatilized upon dispensing. The composition of the present invention may be formulated to have utility as a hard surface cleaner, or as a drain-opener.