A method of reducing color in an alkanolamine, the method comprising: contacting the alkanolamine with an amount of an aqueous solution effective to provide 5 to 1000 parts per million by weight of an alkali metal borohydride, based on parts by weight of the alkanolamine; and 0.5 to 10,000 parts per million by weight of an alkali metal hydroxide, based on parts by weight of the alkanolamine; preferably wherein the color-reduced alkanolamine is not distilled after the contacting.