Abstract: Disclosed is a cleaning method which can remove, particularly, all of an organic contaminant, a particle contaminant, and a metal contaminant adhered to a semiconductor substrate at a high cleaning level, and which can realize the reduction in environmental load caused by the cleaning. The method of cleaning the semiconductor substrate includes a first cleaning process of cleaning the semiconductor substrate with a cleaning composition including a transition-metal-containing water-soluble salt (A), a chelating agent (B1), and a peroxide (C), a ratio of the chelating agent (B1) to the transition-metal-containing water-soluble salt (A) being 0.5 molar equivalent or more; and a second cleaning process of cleaning the semiconductor substrate, which is cleaned through the first cleaning process, with an acidic solution containing a chelating agent (B2).