The thickening agent is a linear aliphatic polymer having a molecular weight of at least about 100,000 g/mole Mw and is soluble or dispersible in water at room temperature of about 70??? F. In the preferred embodiments the polymeric thickening agent has a molecular weight of at least 500,000 and most preferably at least 1,000,000 g/mole Mw to about 10,000,000 g/mole Mw.