Water soluble or dispersible composition

An aqueous protective coating composition, comprising:

• a water-soluble or dispersible composition comprising a hydrophobically modified polyalkylene glycol having mono- and di-end capped hydrophobic groups, wherein the di-end capped hydrophobic groups are in a range of about 70% to about 98% by weight based on the total weight of the mono- and-di- end capped hydrophobic groups,
• wherein the polyalkylene glycol portion of the hydrophobically modified polyalkylene glycol is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene glycol, poly(ethylene glycol-propylene glycol), polybutylene glycol, polytetrahydrofuran, and combinations thereof;
• wherein the di-end capped hydrophobic groups are selected from the groups consisting of substituted or unsubstituted moieties chosen from alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, arylalkenyl, cyclic, cycloaliphatic, and polycyclic groups, optionally having at least one heteroatom;
• wherein an average weight molecular weight of the hydrophobically modified polyalkylene glycol is in a range of about 400 to 60,000 Daltons;
• a latex polymer selected from the group consisting of a vinyl acetate ethylene polymer, an acrylic polymer, a vinyl-acrylic polymer, and a styrene-acrylic polymer;
• and
• at least one member selected from the group consisting of a pigment, a coalescent, a solvent, a wetting agent, a defoamer, a matting agent, a dispersant, a thickener, a biocide, a mildewcide, and a surfactant.