A detergent, cleaning, conditioning or cosmetic agent that is absorbed by the surface of substrates and that contains oligomers, polymers or copolymers comprising a specific structural element. The agent may also form part of a conditioning substrate, wherein the substrate, such as a fleece material, is saturated and/or coated with the agent. The agent may also be used in a process for treating hard and/or soft substrate surfaces comprising the step of applying an effective quantity of the agent to the substrate.