A surgical preparation applicator device has a pre-loaded container (11) of surgical preparation liquid, the container (11) having a front closure (22) at its front end. The container is received in a tubular applicator body (10) and can be pushed from an initial position to an open position whereby a rearwardly- projecting cutter (31,32) of the applicator body (10) opens the front closure to allow liquid to flow forwardly to an applicator pad (13), the applicator body (10) defining a flow path between the container (11) and the applicator pad (13). The container (11) has plural separate chambers (111,112) containing different component liquids of the surgical preparation liquid, the chambers being side-by-side, so that the chambers (111,112) are opened together by respective spaced cutters. The cutters (31,32) have sloping toothed edges and are shaped to cut around part of the periphery of each chamber, leaving flaps of closure layer which are pushed out of the way by sweeper projections (34,35) next to the cutters.
