Aqueous solutions of fluorescent whitening agents

123 4 1125246365 6 14789 10 111112 1112 2 Compositions comprising (A) a total of from 2 to 30% by weight, based on the total composition (A)+(B), of one or more amino alcohols of formula (1) herein R, R, Rand Rare each independently of the others hydrogen, -Calkyl,C-Caryl or C-Caralkyl, and Rand Rare each independently of the other hydrogen or C-Calkyl; and (B) from 70 to 98% by weight, based on the total composition (A)+(B), of a fluorescent whitening agent of formula (2) herein X is hydrogen, an alkali metal ion, an ammonium ion or a hydroxyalkylammonium radical derived from the amino alcohol of formula (1), and R, R, Rand Rare each independently of the others -OR, -NRRor a group of formula (3) wherein R, and Rare each independently of the other hydrogen, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, carboxyalkyl, HN-CO-alkyl or alkylthio, are distinguished by high solubility in water and by high storage stability of the aqueous solutions.