Abstract: The invention provides a method for increasing the brightness retention of a laundered fabric after numerous washing cycles by adding to an aqueous wash liquor a quantity of a commercial laundry detergent which delivers at least 0.1 g of an optical brightener into said wash liquor, said optical brightener exhibiting instability in the presence of hypochlorite; and prior to, concurrent with, or after the commercial laundry detergent, adding a bleaching composition in an amount of at least about 0.5 g/L. The bleaching composition contains about 2.5-10% alkali metal hypochlorite; about 0.05-5% of a bleach stable surfactant bearing at least one nitrogen atom; a bleach stable anionic surfactant or a hydrotrope, wherein the ratio of (ii) to (iii) is between about 10:1 to about 1:10; and an effective amount of a source of alkalinity.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for increasing the brightness retention of a laundered fabric after numerous washing cycles by adding to an aqueous wash liquor a quantity of a commercial laundry detergent which delivers at least 0.1 g of an optical brightener into said wash liquor, said optical brightener exhibiting instability in the presence of hypochlorite; and prior to, concurrent with, or after the commercial laundry detergent, adding a bleaching composition in an amount of at least about 0.5 g/L. The bleaching composition contains about 2.5-10% alkali metal hypochlorite; about 0.05-5% of a bleach stable surfactant bearing at least one nitrogen atom; a bleach stable anionic surfactant or a hydrotrope, wherein the ratio of (ii) to (iii) is between about 10:1 to about 1:10; and an effective amount of a source of alkalinity.