Scott Rice & WHATASHIELD Partner

WHATASHIELD® forms an invisible, molecularly-bonded shield on non-woven surfaces that delivers exceptional UV resistance and long-term durability — preventing color fade, fiber degradation, and structural breakdown even under prolonged sun and environmental exposure. The treatment also provides robust protection against hydrolysis and harsh cleaning chemicals, ensuring the surface maintains its integrity and appearance through repeated industrial-strength cleaning cycles without compromising the bond.

Conventional surfaces are highly vulnerable to the caustic chemistry of industrial cleaning products — repeated exposure to harsh detergents, solvents, disinfectants, and bleach-based solutions breaks down fibers, degrades coatings, and accelerates the deterioration of upholstery, flooring, and wall coverings at significant replacement cost. WHATASHIELD® acts as a chemical buffer at the molecular level, shielding treated surfaces from cleaning product damage and incompatibility while remaining fully stable across a broad spectrum of cleaning agents — allowing facilities to maintain rigorous sanitation protocols without sacrificing the longevity or appearance of their assets.

WHATASHIELD® forms a molecularly-bonded barrier that refracts and disperses UV radiation at the surface level, preventing the photochemical breakdown that causes fading, discoloration, and fiber degradation in treated textiles, vinyls, and non-wovens. This UV-refracting protection extends the functional and aesthetic lifespan of treated assets significantly — reducing the frequency of replacement cycles and protecting the capital investment of furniture, flooring, wall coverings, and upholstery in high-exposure environments.

WHATASHIELD® works through a hydrophilic release mechanism — bonding to surfaces at the molecular level so that water, oils, and contaminants are unable to grip, lifting away cleanly rather than penetrating the material. LIGHTSHIELD® takes a complementary approach, using PFAS-free hydrophobic repellency to cause liquids and stains to bead up and roll off the surface before absorption can occur.

WHATASHIELD® redefines stain resistance through its hydrophilic release mechanism — rather than simply repelling liquids on the surface, it bonds molecularly to the substrate so that staining agents cannot grip, migrate, or set into the fiber, making complete removal effortless with minimal cleaning intervention. This stain release approach outperforms traditional topical coatings that degrade over time, as WHATASHIELD®'s permanent bond ensures that treated surfaces maintain their stain-release performance through heavy use, repeated cleaning, and the demanding conditions of high-traffic commercial environments.

LIGHTSHIELD® creates a PFAS-free hydrophobic barrier on treated surfaces that causes water-based liquids — including coffee, juice, wine, and bodily fluids — to bead up instantly and roll off without penetrating the fiber or substrate. This repellent action dramatically reduces the window for stain-setting, allowing spills to be wiped away cleanly with minimal effort and leaving no residue or discoloration behind.

WHATASHIELD® contributes directly to improved indoor air quality by eliminating the toxic off-gassing associated with conventional PFAS-based surface treatments — creating healthier environments for occupants, staff, and patients in spaces where air quality is critical to wellness outcomes. By reducing the chemical burden on treated surfaces and minimizing the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released during and after cleaning, WHATASHIELD® supports WELL Building standards and green certification goals while delivering a measurably safer breathing environment across hospitality, healthcare, and commercial interiors.

WHAT-A-METHOD® is WE Group's proprietary post-PFAS cleaning protocol that follows a precise five-step process — remove excess soiling, water rinse and blot, apply a water-based cleaner and blot, water extract, then finish with a solvent-based cleaner and extract — ensuring complete stain removal from the inside out. This systematic approach eliminates the need for toxic fluorochemicals while outperforming legacy PFAS-based methods, giving facilities a fully compliant, science-backed cleaning solution that leaves surfaces restored and residue-free.

WHATASHIELD® and LIGHTSHIELD® deliver best-in-class surface protection, repellency, and stain resistance entirely without PFAS — proving that the industry's long-standing reliance on toxic fluorochemicals was a compromise, not a necessity. Facilities, manufacturers, and specifiers can now meet tightening regulatory requirements and sustainability commitments without sacrificing a single point of performance, as both technologies match or exceed the protection benchmarks previously associated with PFAS-based treatments.

Premature surface degradation — fading, staining, pilling, cracking, and discoloration — sends an unmistakable signal to guests, patients, and clients that a facility's standards have slipped, directly eroding brand perception and the confidence that drives repeat business and referrals. WHATASHIELD® and LIGHTSHIELD® extend the aesthetic lifespan of treated assets by protecting against the environmental, chemical, and mechanical forces that accelerate visible wear — ensuring that interiors, furnishings, and surfaces maintain the fresh, well-maintained appearance that reinforces brand integrity and justifies premium positioning in competitive markets.

High-traffic commercial environments subject surfaces to relentless mechanical stress — constant friction, compression, abrasion, and soiling that rapidly degrades untreated upholstery, flooring, and wall coverings, compressing replacement cycles and inflating capital expenditure budgets. WHATASHIELD® reinforces treated surfaces at the molecular level, providing a durable barrier that resists the cumulative effects of heavy use — reducing visible wear, maintaining structural integrity, and significantly extending asset lifespan in the demanding conditions of hotels, hospitals, transit hubs, and commercial interiors.

Untreated or conventionally protected surfaces act as reservoirs for odor-causing contaminants — absorbing food, beverage, bodily fluid, and smoke residues deep into fibers where standard cleaning cannot reach, leading to persistent residual odors that drive guest complaints, negative reviews, and direct revenue loss. WHATASHIELD® breaks this cycle by preventing contaminants from penetrating the surface in the first place, ensuring that treated assets clean completely and odors are eliminated at the source — protecting the guest experience, brand reputation, and bottom line.

WHATASHIELD® and WHATASHIELD® POWERCLEANER work in tandem to tackle the most stubborn surface challenges — including hard water deposits, rust staining, organic matter buildup, and mineral scale — dissolving and releasing contaminants that have bonded aggressively to untreated surfaces over time. Once a surface is treated with WHATASHIELD®, the molecular barrier prevents these hard stains and deposits from re-anchoring, dramatically reducing the frequency and intensity of deep-cleaning interventions required to maintain a pristine appearance in high-demand commercial, marine, and healthcare environments.

WHATASHIELD® neutralizes static build-up by conditioning the treated surface at a molecular level, preventing the electrostatic charge accumulation that attracts dust, particulates, and contaminants — keeping surfaces cleaner between maintenance cycles and reducing the airborne particle load in sensitive environments like healthcare and hospitality. By eliminating the friction-driven static cycle that accelerates fiber wear, thread degradation, and surface pilling, WHATASHIELD® actively slows material deterioration, preserving the structural and aesthetic integrity of treated assets far beyond their untreated lifespan.

WHATASHIELD® CHAR CHAR delivers a non-toxic, chemical-safe flame retardant solution that meets rigorous fire safety standards without the harmful compounds found in conventional FR treatments — making it an ideal choice for healthcare, hospitality, and public space environments where occupant safety and air quality are paramount. By integrating fire retardancy directly into the WHATASHIELD® molecular bond, CHAR CHAR provides a durable, long-lasting FR barrier that resists wash-out and degradation, eliminating the need for repeated toxic reapplication cycles.

WHATASHIELD® and LIGHTSHIELD® dramatically reduce maintenance downtime by making surfaces easier to clean and faster to restore — spills that once required prolonged treatment, product dwell time, or professional intervention are resolved in a fraction of the time, keeping hospitality, healthcare, and commercial facilities fully operational. The result is measurable labor cost savings across housekeeping, janitorial, and maintenance teams, as fewer man-hours are spent on repeat cleaning attempts, deep extraction, and premature asset replacement.