The imidazoline moiety in aliphatic polyols, aliphatic diols, alkoxylated aliphatic polyols, alkoxylated aliphatic diols or in a mixture of these compounds, functions as a softener and is dispersible in water at a temperature of about 1??? C. to about 40??? C. The imidazoline moiety is of the formula: ##STR7## wherein X is an anion and R is selected from the group of saturated and unsaturated para