PRO-Techs have been used for more than four decades to help control the growth of mold, mildew, fungus and other unsavory substances. In 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic raging across America and around the globe, one of Central South Carolina’s most experienced commercial cleaning companies is using it to provide its customers with protection against antimicrobial growth – and, hopefully, against the spread of the coronavirus.

PRO-Techs are colorless and odorless substances that use a positively charged polymer that acts as an electronically charged layer of swords, protecting the surface from germs. They provide up to 90 days of antimicrobial protection.

Palmetto Commercial Services, which has been in business for almost 12 years, is the exclusive distributor for PRO-Techs in 10 counties surrounding Columbia. The company’s owner, Michael Young, explained why the antimicrobial agent has become an important weapon in the arsenal to fight the spread of COVID-19.

"There wasn’t much use for it against viruses because most viruses die within 24 hours on a surface,” he said. “It hasn’t been tested on COVID yet by the Environmental Protection Agency, but there’s hope it will work because it works against other viruses. Antimicrobials have been used for years in airports and locker rooms to fight bacteria, but nobody was looking at them for viruses before COVID.”

Young pointed out that Palmetto Commercial Services has used PRO-Techs to protect several office buildings and retirement communities, adding that many restaurants have requested that it be applied in dining and food preparation areas. He said PRO-Techs had been approved by the EPA in eateries, based on its ability to control E.coli and other food-borne pathogens. He provides his restaurant customers with a sticker they can display, explaining exactly what has been done to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

"Restaurants want to protect their customers as much as possible, and they are doing everything they can to make sure they are safe,” he noted.

Even before the emergence of the coronavirus, Young said many business owners and residents in the Columbia area were comfortable hiring Palmetto Commercial Services, which had developed a reputation as “hoarding experts” – the people to call “when you’re trying to figure out what to keep and what to get rid of.”

"We were already familiar with many of the pathogens, like mold and mildew, and with working in extremely dirty environments,” Young said. “We had done that stuff for years. They were hiring us based on our knowledge of how to work in those types of environments.”

Education is another advantage Palmetto Commercial Services has over its competition in the Midlands area of South Carolina. In 2015, following the Ebola outbreak, Young completed a course in environmental disinfection offered by the National Institute of Decontamination Specialists. This online professional development organization offers training solutions designed to help professionals deal with an array of decontamination challenges.

"It was apparent that many cleaning and restoration companies weren’t really familiar with how to kill pathogens. They didn’t understand the science,” Young explained.

Based on its experience in the battle against COVID and the several “best of” awards it has won in recent years, it’s obvious that the professionals at Palmetto Commercial Services are among those who do understand the science involved in disinfecting frequently used surfaces and making life a little safer for the residents of Central South Carolina.

To learn more about keeping your business safe and clean, visit www.palmettocommercialservices.com or call 803-479-0812.