You may use wipes impregnated with isopropyl alcohol on all tourguide equipment & device’s hard surfaces, headphones, headsets, cables, cases, chargers etc.

Avoid plugs, sockets and connector contacts – wipe-off alcohol immediately with a clean, dry cloth or paper towel. DO NOT USE sprays or aerosols.


See blog about sanitising microphones.


About Alcohols

Examples: ethanol, industrial denatured alcohol (IDA), such as industrial methylated spirit (IMS), Isopropanol (also known as 2-propanol, isopropyl alcohol, IPA or surgical spirit)

  • Alcohols need to be least 70% (70 parts alcohol, 30 parts purified water) to be effective. Both components play a crucial role in deactivating the virus by breaking down the lipid shell. Consult the manufacturer’s instructions to make sure the ethyl alcohol component is not diluted below 70%.
  • Industrial alcohols can be difficult to buy and transport. You will need to register with HMRC.
  • Methylated spirits bought from DIY stores are not generally suitable for treating historic surfaces because they usually include harmful additives and dyes that could stain historic surfaces.
  • Isopropanol is readily available at 70% and can also be purchased as impregnated wipes. Always read the product labelling or MSDS to check that isopropanol and deionised water are the only ingredients.

Concentration and minimum effective contact time

Ethanol and Isopropanol content

IMS with ethyl alcohol content

This information About Alcohols is taken from: Historic England


Bulk packs of earbuds are available to purchase, if sanitising earpieces is impractical for your tours.