I grew up in a household where bleach was the ultimate cleaning tool. YIKES! I know how bad bleach can be. A few years ago I developed severe environmental allergies and started become sensitive to all smells. Bleach happened to be one of the things that I couldn't stand. It would effect my breathing. I discovered vanish by accident one day desperate enough to get the stains out of my husbands clothes. It really works. A lot of tougher old stains even came out (although it took a lot longer). I leave the vanish on the clothes or the stain for a few minutes or a few hours depending on the stain and then I also add some too the wash. What I love about it is that it doesn't harm colors. So I don't have to worry about those items that have both whites and colours!