Blenheim Palace has begun its annual deep clean, in preparation for welcoming new visitors in 2024, with repair work on the clock tower also taking place.
The Oxfordshire Estate, home to the Dukes of Marlborough since 1705, undergoes the yearly clean to ensure it's pristine condition year-round.
The deep clean covers everything from silverware and sculptures to tables and tapestries.
This also includes precision cleaning of 18 clocks, 38 pieces of armour, and 40 busts and sculptures.
Each artifact demands unique attention and preservation techniques, using distilled water and foregoing aerosol sprays.
Having started in the library on January 7, the process will roughly take six to eight weeks for the entire palace.
Meanwhile, restoration work is also underway on the estate, particularly the Clock Tower.
The tower, linking the East Courtyard to the Great Court, houses the Palace's services.
The clock, made by Langley Bradley, master of the Clockmakers Company, in 1710, requires intricate repairs that will be conducted by the conservators.
While the deep clean is ongoing, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is welcoming visitors to learn about the preservation work on their rooms and extensive collection.
Between January 4 and February 16, daily tours around the palace provide an insight into the restoration and conservation process of the historic building and the collections within.
Sticking mostly to traditional cleaning methods, a team of cleaners using natural cleaning products and bristle brushes is spearheading the cleaning drive.
Along with the traditional, they've also embraced modern technology, like museum vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters.
This process involves carefully moving all furniture and artifacts and vacuuming each room from floor to ceiling.
Kate Ballenger, keeper of palace and collections, said: "Every year a whole team of specialists come together to undertake our vital deep clean.
"The process involves review, restoration, and thorough cleaning specific to each type of item, which is part of our continuous conservation work.
"Allowing visitors to see this first hand on a tour is incredibly exciting as it gives us the chance to show the immense effort that goes into preserving the past for future generations to enjoy."
A ceiling survey is, also, being conducted within the Great Hall and Saloon to provide an accurate assessment ahead of a planned roof project.
Visitors interested in experiencing these intricate processes of preservation will be able to with the Restoration and Conservation tours, which are included with a Blenheim Palace ticket.
Tickets are available at Blenheim Palaces website.
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