Drainage aids and the use thereof

A method for treating pulp, said method comprising adding sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), and optionally one or more component chosen from a sulfonated anionic surfactant, a hydrotrope, a nonionic surfactant, and di-(2-ethylhexyl) sodium sulfosuccinate, a defoamer, a preservative, and a solvent, or a combination thereof to untreated pulp to obtain treated pulp;

• wherein said SLES and said component is separately added to said untreated pulp;
• or combined into a single composition and then added to said untreated pulp;
• wherein said sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) is present in an amount of about 1 wt. % to about 70 wt. % or about 5 wt. % to about 50 wt. %;
• wherein said sulfonated anionic surfactant is present in an amount of about 1 wt. % to about 50 wt. % or about 5 wt. % to about 30 wt. %;
• wherein said hydrotrope is present in an amount of about 1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % or about 2 wt. % to about 5 wt. %;
• wherein said di-(2-ethylhexyl) sodium sulfosuccinate is present in an amount of about 0.1 wt. % to about 2 wt. % or about 0.1 wt. % to about 0.75 wt. %;
• wherein said defoamer is in an amount of about 0.001% to about 0.1%;
• wherein said a preservative is in an amount of about 0.01% to about 0.1%;
• and
• wherein said a solvent is in an amount of about 2% to about 70%.