Abstract: A method for bleaching textile material, including preparing an aqueous alkaline solution of a bleaching agent composed of formamidine sulfinic acid and at least one carbohydrate having a general total formula C.sub.n H.sub.2n O.sub.n, the formamidine sulfinic acid and the at least one carbohydrate having a weight ratio with respect to one another which ranges from 80:20 to 99:1; and bleaching textile material composed at least in part of cellulose materials by contacting the textile material with the bleaching agent at a temperature above 50.degree. C. therefor.