To provide a silica scale remover capable of easily removing polishing liquid-derived silica scale adhered to silicon wafers, semiconductor substrates or the like without corroding them and without scattering again as dust in chemical-mechanical polishing operations, thus enabling them to be cleaned, and to provide a removing method using the remover.

The silica scale remover comprises one or more polyhydric alcohols each having hydroxy groups bound respectively to at least two adjoining carbon atoms of a 2-4C alkane, a strongly acidic compound and 0-95 wt.% of a hydrophobic organic solvent. This remover is characterized by containing no ≥5 wt.% water and containing no metal ions. The method for removing silica scale is characterized by involving contacting a silica scale-adhered to-be-treated object with this remover.