Abstract: Methods for improving color properties of triethanolamine, and triethanolamine compositions treated thereby, are disclosed, wherein the methods comprise: (a) providing a composition comprising triethanolamine; and (b) contacting the composition with an acid component and a basic component; wherein the acid component comprises an acid selected from the group consisting of phosphorous acid, hypophosphorous acid and mixtures thereof; and wherein the basic component comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, ammonium hydroxides according to general formula (I), and mixtures thereof: [R1R2R3(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium]hydroxide??(I) wherein R1, R2 and R3 each independently represents a C1-30 alkyl or a C2-10 hydroxyalkyl; with the proviso that where the basic component comprises an alkali metal hydroxide, the molar ratio of acid component:basic component is 1:0.