Liquid, shelf-stable alkaline cleaning compositions with chlorine bleach comprising a chlorine bleach capable of forming a hypochlorite in water, a bleach stabilizer selected from the group consisting of compounds having at least one NH-- or NH.sub.2-- moiety capable of reacting with the hypochlorite to form NCl--, NHCl-- or NCl.sub.2-- compounds, and from about 5-50% by weight of a metal hydroxide. Compositions according to the present invention are highly alkaline preferably presenting a pH of at least about 11.5. The compositions provide sustained hypochlorite bleach functionality and long term bleach stability even in the presence of surfactants. The bleach compositions are useful in cleaning and sanitizing household, institutional, and industrial hard surfaces including clean-in-place systems and food processing equipment.