This invention discovers that laundry-strength hypochlorite bleach compositions are described by three essential components; hypochlorite, hydroxide, and the concentration ratio (CR), the latter defined as the concentration of hypochlorite over the concentration of hydroxide (also, its reciprocal). The hypochlorite content determines fabric cleaning efficacy, the hydroxide content determines stability, and the CR indicates quality of fabric safety, such quality ranging from damaging to gentle. Therefore, hypochlorite bleach compositions can range from fabric damaging to degrees of fabric protection, depending upon the values of CR. Values of CR (as defined) greater than 30:1 characterize fabric-damaging common regular bleach. By decreasing the ratio value, fabric protection progressively improves to a relatively broad maximum at a ratio value about 2:1.