Dear wordcrazy: deliquescence is a handy word in chemistry, where something you have worked hard to make can have its appearance spoiled if you don't get it into a jar quickly.
Both sugar and salt have this problem to a minor degree.

Deliquescence is not a good fit for the disintegration of the Nixon administration, which did not become liquid from absorbing moisture, but underwent autolysis from the enzymes liberated by corruption.
Below is a link giving complete discussion.
http://antoine.fsu.umd.edu/chem/senese/101/compounds/faq/why-hygroscopic.shtml