A variety of substantially water insoluble particulates are known and useful in treating fabrics. For example, particulate pigments, such as ultramarine blue, are used to mask the undesirable yellow color of fabrics following laundering. During laundering, if the pigment particles are sufficiently small and are dispersed in the laundry solution, then they become entrained in the fabrics. Thus, for example, ultramarine blue particles can be used to mask the yellowed color of the fabrics by partially compensating for the absorption of short wavelength blue.
Although addition of particulates in conjunction with laundering additives is a convenient means of treating fabrics, it has been difficult to sufficiently stably suspend the particulates, particularly in a strongly oxidizing environment such as hypochlorite bleach, while retaining water dispersibility of the solution.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,030, issued Jun. 2, 1981, inventors Brierley et al., discloses a liquid hypochlorite bleach having a particulate pigment, such as ultramarine blue, which is said to be stably suspended in the composition by means of a flocculant, such as calcium soap flocs and amine oxides, filling at least 50% of the volume of the composition; and, U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,442, issued May 16, 1972, inventor Briggs, discloses liquid bleaching compositions having a finely particulate terpolymer which imparts opacity to the compositions.
However, prior known compositions with particulates in aqueous solutions have posed sedimentation, coagulation or stability problems or have not found commercial acceptability as dual bleaching and bluing compositions.