A composition comprising:(a) tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium sulfate (THPS) (b) water and (c) 1,2-propanediol wherein the weight percentages of (a), (b) and (c) are within the area on a ternary phase diagram for (a), (b) and (c) bounded by five points: (A) 20% THPS/40% water/40% 1,2-propanediol (B) 20% THPS/20% water/60% 1,2-propanediol (C) 65% THPS/22% water/13% 1,2-propanediol (D) 65% THPS/25% water/10% 1,2-propanediol and (E) 40% THPS/28% water/32% 1,2-propanediol.