A process for finishing absorbent materials by treatment with at least one aqueous liquor comprising at least one organic polymer, at least one organic or inorganic solid in particulate form, and at least one emulsifier selected from emulsifiers of the general formula I where: R.sup.1 is selected from C.sub.6-C.sub.40-alkyl, R.sup.2 is at each instance the same or different and selected from hydrogen and methyl m and n are the same or different and each selected from integers in the range from 0 to 10, R.sup.3 is at each instance the same or different and selected from C.sub.6-C.sub.20-alkyl, M is an alkali metal or ammonium.