after bleaching bleaching may be followed by the step of adding a viscosity reducing agent to the bleach bath to thereby reduce the viscosity increasing effect of the pa and facilitate subsequent rinsing suitable viscosity reducing agents include common salt or bisulfite with bisulfite advantageously functioning also as an antichlor although applicant does not wish to be bound to any theory of how the present invention works the viscosity altering characteristics of the polyarylic acid appear to contribute to a more even bleaching our observations suggest that the presence of polyacrylic acid in the bleach bath slows down the bleaching action so that bleaching occurs during the entire bleach cycle without the polyacrylic acid the bleaching occurs very quickly immediately upon addition of the bleaching agent with more streaks as a result polyacrylic acids of the type used in practicing the present invention have previously been used in textile processing applications as print paste thickeners and for producing styling effects in the dyeing of carpets but insofar as applicant is aware have not previously been used in the manner disclosed herein the present invention is well suited for bleaching garments particularly denim garments when used for bleaching denim garments the garment is preferably immersed in the bleach bath with its finished side out thereby eliminating the need for turning the garment during the bleaching process this provides a significant savings of labor and cost and greatly increases the speed throughput of the bleaching operation a preferred process for bleaching denim garments comprises the steps of a desizing the garment while the garments are right side out and thereafter without turning the garment b immersing the garment in an aqueous solution containing from about 0 01 to about 10 grams per liter of a polyacrylic acid and then.