Abstract: An aqueous composition for coating substrates which contains polymeric organic film formers containing a deaerating effective amount of a linear polymer having at least five side groups, each of which contains a silicon atom which is linked by way of a divalent hydrocarbon group to the polymer, each silicon atom carrying at least one R.sup.1 group of formulaO--[C.sub.n H.sub.2n O--].sub.x Qin which n is 2 to 8, x is 1 to 10 and Q is an alkyl radical with 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an aryl radical, an alkaryl radical, or an acyl radical with 2 to 18 carbon atoms, and the sum of the carbon and oxygen atoms of R.sup.1 is not less than 5, as well as the linear polymers themselves. Methods for preparation of such materials are also disclosed as well as their use.