A TEAM of expert cleaners have been making Blenheim Palace spick and span as they conduct their annual deep clean of the historic estate.

This year, visitors are being offered a rare chance to see the work that goes into preserving the World Heritage Site in Woodstock.

The deep clean, carried out each year at this time, requires 10 people to work daily over a period of six weeks.

Kate Ballenger, house manager at the palace, said: “In 2017, Blenheim Palace will be open all year, and whilst traditionally we would have undertaken the deep clean whilst the it is closed, we have now incorporated the delicate and difficult task around our visitors.

“The process will allow guests a truly behind the scenes experience as we use an indoor hoist and a whole host of the latest cleaning technology to conserve the priceless historical artefacts.”

During the clean, each room has to be carefully stripped of all its furniture and artefacts and vacuumed from the ceiling to the floor.

The floors are then cleaned and polished. Meanwhile, the specialist cleaning team carefully clean each item before it is returned to the room.

Blenheim Palace use a variety of tools from museum vacuum cleaners to natural bristle brushes, depending on the object they are cleaning.

Visitors can see specific items being cleaned as they take one of the new tours including 40 busts and sculptures, 28 marble tables, 10,000 books and 18 clocks.

'Restoration and Conservation' is the theme of the guided tours, which will be available until February 8, running twice per day excluding Sundays.

For more visit blenheimpalace.com