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Caring for precious objects doesnt always mean restoring them to as good as new.

A hole in the carpet, the slight tarnishing of a silver heirloom, wine glass rings on an old dining table all tell us something about the life of an object. As conservators, we respect the marks of time. We suggest you learn to love your stains, too! By following a regime of preventative care you can prevent further problems developing. Conserving is an enjoyable and satisfying activity, so find your own peaceful space and take your time. Some of the conservation chemicals that we recommend need careful handling; youll find the essential health and safety advice on this card.

Ten golden rules


1. Regular inspection and meticulous cleaning is the best way to prevent damage from staining, mould, corrosion and insects. 2. Protect your valuables from light, which can cause colours to fade and fabric to weaken. 3. Place them in moderate environments, too dry and items will crack or distort; too wet and mould will grow and corrosion will occur. 4. Avoid fluctuations in humidity; expansion and contraction cause stresses in paintings, wood, leather, even in the fibres of your hanging textiles. 5. Check regularly for pests like moths, carpet beetles and mice. Early detection and immediate removal is the key to stopping infestation. 6. Dust is an enemy! Protect objects from it where possible, as it needs repeated removal. This can wear away fragile materials, even if carefully done. 7. Avoid acidic fumes from cars, regular cardboard boxes, wood and rubber backed materials, which can rot and embrittle materials and cause staining. 8. Resist the temptation to handle objects too much; it leaves marks and you run the risk of accidental damage. 9. Lifting heavy objects is one of the most common ways to damage them or yourself. Conservators always work in pairs. 10. Leave the repair of valuable objects to specialists as the techniques are trickier than they might seem at first glance.

Store materials in sealed containers, including cloths with wax on them. Keep materials away from heat and light. Dont rush in where conservators fear to tread! Before you start any cleaning work, inspect your precious object very carefully. Avoid cleaning any loose surface decoration, weak joints, frayed areas, old repairs or cracked surfaces. It might be better to leave the object as it is, or seek advice. Clean as you go Clean brushes immediately after use and reshape bristles while drying. Replace discoloured polishing and dusting cloths. Keep product containers clean to avoid contamination. Organise your materials Label everything meticulously to avoid cross-contamination, especially of metal polishes. Keep dusting cloths clean in labelled ziplock type bags. Store brushes with bristles upright to keep their shape.

Best to invest High quality brushes with natural bristles, for example, can last for years. While they are more expensive, they are more efficient, so are a worthwhile investment. Take care with chemicals Some of the substances we recommend for home conservation work are potentially hazardous. Please exercise great care; keep all your materials secure and safely out of the reach of children and animals.

A conservator vacuums the dust from a famous Grinling Gibbons limewood carving.

Safety first Its essential to work in a well-lit, well-ventilated room, particularly when using solvent-based products. Use only the minimum amount of chemicals needed for a job, from a small, lidded container. Wear protective gloves and wash your hands when finished. Put used cloths outdoors to allow any solvent to evaporate before storing or discarding, as they can combust.

The tapestries in our care cover an area equivalent to six tennis courts - and we need to sew protective backing on to every centimetre.

Caring for upholstery


Our palaces contain outstanding court furnishings from the 17th to 19th centuries, ranging from a 7 metre-high throne canopy at Hampton Court Palace to the tiniest stool in the princesses dolls house at Kew Palace. To minimise dustfall, most furnishings are placed at a distance from visitors. Even gentle cleaning presents risks. With the six royal state beds each made up of 50 parts, vacuuming takes about five days every few years! Our textile specialists regularly check for infestation and track the changing condition of the upholstery, using magnifiying glasses and spectrometers to measure miniscule changes in colour.
Turn over for our expert tips on caring for your upholstery

Upholstery
Save your upholstery! With use, fabric structure breaks down unevenly. Stuffings, springs and webbing can give way too, leaving the upholstery distorted. Its always best to sit down gently on old furniture, to prevent overstraining any area of the stretched fabric cover. Protect and survive Cover the arms and backs of valuable upholstery with similar fabric to protect from handling marks, and user wear. If away for extended periods cover the entire upholstered area with a cotton sheet to protect from dust as well as light. Gently does it Beeswax is best for polishing wooden frames but protect the fabric with a piece of card. Do not use leather dressings or upholstery creams on antique leather upholstery (see Caring for leather).

Storage sense As with other furnishings, keep away from sunlight, direct heat and damp corners. Check regularly for signs of insect activity. Stitch in time Sew up any loose braids or fringes before they unravel further, or fall off and are lost. Dont be tempted to use adhesive as a quick fix, as some discolour over time or become brittle. Phone a friend It takes two to lift high backed or upholstered chairs. Each place a hand under the seat and use the other to support the back of the chair. Take care when moving large pieces of furniture with tightly stretched upholstery fabric, where there is a risk of tearing the fabric. Cleaning instructions Vacuum occasionally, using a clean, smooth nozzle (not brush) attachment covered in netting to protect the fabric. Take care not to suck up any of the fringes. Dont forget to clean down the back and sides of chairs and sofas, and under furniture to help protect against insect attack.

Silk velvet backed giltwood chair, one of a set of six made c1695. See them in the Kings Apartments at Hampton Court Palace. Until the 17th century chairs were wooden; furnishing fabrics were vastly expensive and so the fashion to cover chairs was promoted by royalty as another opportunity to display their taste and wealth. Its likely that these chairs were originally kept in King Williams private apartments for the few visitors important enough to sit in his presence. There were no chairs in the more public rooms, where courtiers had to stand for hours in heavy and elaborate court dress.

For more information see the Best for your palace card

Caring for books


The palaces were once full of books; sadly we now have only a small sample, most of which are housed in two glass-fronted cabinets in the Kings Private Drawing Room of Hampton Court Palace. The oldest of these Historie by Guicciardin dates from 1579. Four times a year our conservators shine a torch into this cabinet, searching for insects that feed off the vegetable-tanned leather spine covers. We carry out a full inspection yearly, removing all books to do so. If insects are discovered, infested books are carefully wrapped in polyethylene and frozen to kill off these unwelcome bookworms!
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Books
Save your books! Much of the pleasure of old books is reading them, rather than storing them away, but dirt is a major enemy. Always wash your hands before handling pages. Gently does it Dont pull a book from the shelf by the top of its spine, as it may break. Instead, gently push back books at either side and pull out the exposed book by firmly grasping its sides. Treat with respect Use bookmarks, rather than creasing the corners of pages or inserting metal paper clips. These can lead to cracking the paper, and corrosion stains. Sit them up straight! Store books upright on shelves, well supported so they dont slump and become distorted, eventually breaking the spines. Store oversized books flat.

Storage sense Keep your books in dry, cool places where they are less susceptible to mould, mice, silverfish, wood worm and light. Protect and survive Loose spines and hard covers of old favourites can be held in place by gently tying the book together using two pieces of unbleached cotton tape, tied at the front. Softly, softly Open gently: dont force a book to open flat unless it can do so comfortably, as this will crack the spine. Pull-out maps, tables or other over-sized plates should be opened as little as possible. Cleaning instructions Dont open dusty books: first clean the edges of the pages or dust will get onto the pages and stain them. Keep the book closed with spine side against you and gently flick off the dust with a soft bristle brush. Vacuum first if dust is very thick.

This beautiful book is titled La thorie et la pratique du Jardinage and dated 1711.

Repairing books Sticky tape can be very damaging as the adhesive penetrates and stains. Keep book parts in acid-free card and seek advice from a specialist book conservator.
King George III amassed a fabulous personal library. This he donated to The British Library, which became the nucleus for the collection today. However, he saved the choicest volumes for himself, which are now in the library at Windsor Castle. For more information see the Best for your palace card

Caring for glass


At Hampton Court Palace we have 18thcentury, smoky-coloured goblets, green decanters and clear drinking glasses displayed not far from magnificent chandeliers made of thousands of crystal drops. To keep our glass vessels clean and reflective conservators dust them every few months, using a soft brush, with its metal band padded with masking tape, to protect the precious glass. Once a year conservators build scaffold towers to reach our three 18th-century crystal chandeliers. Every single drop is cleaned with a microfibre duster and if necessary a small amount of water.
Turn over for our tips in caring for your precious glass objects

Glass
Gently does it Most damage occurs to glass when handling or washing. Cut the dust problem by displaying glass in cabinets. Never wash up your best glasses while youre in a bad mood or late at night after the last guests have gone Handle with care Remove jewellery before cleaning or handling glass as the stones can scratch. Pick up drinking glasses by their bellies, and avoid picking up objects by their projecting bits. Storage sense Remove decanter stoppers to prevent glass clouding, but keep the stopper nearby, perhaps secured with cotton tape. Cover openings with muslin, or acid-free tissue. Use tissue paper hats, or polyethylene bags to protect other stored objects from dust.

Cupboard love In kitchen cupboards, keep similar sized glasses together, so that they can be taken from the front of shelves without accidents. Washing instructions Wash antique and good quality glass or modern lead crystal by hand, with a few drops of detergent. Do not wash painted glass as the paint may come off and always check that the enamel or gilding on decorated glass is securely held in place before washing. Repaired glass should also not be washed as the joins may come apart use cotton buds moistened in soapy water on repaired glass, then rinse with cotton buds and clean water. Try vinegar in a decanter thats gone white inside. Swirl it around and leave for a few minutes before rinsing with clean warm water. Allow the decanter to drain upside down in a high-sided bowl or saucepan to prevent it from falling over.
For more information see the Best for your palace card

These Georgian goblets, c1780 can be seen in the Sideboard Room, one of the Georgian Rooms at Hampton Court Palace. The wine produced in the 18th century was much stronger than the wine consumed today, so the bowls of glasses were fairly small, although doubtless were often replenished! A wine glass with a large bowl may have been used for wine diluted with water.

Caring for ceramics


For safe keeping we display our ceramics out of reach; we have over 2,000 18th-century ceramic pots and figurines displayed high on fireplace mantles and over 3 metre-high doors. However, this makes our dusting routine a real labour of love every three months! Conservators climb hundreds of scaffold ladders to retrieve the ceramics for cleaning, and to dust our unusual Meissen chandelier. Delicate porcelain items must first be handed down from one pair of gloved conservators hands to another, and placed on duvet-like cushions in a box, where they can be safely cleaned one by one.
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Ceramics
Save your ceramics! Display precious objects well back on shelves, where playful cats, or flapping curtains will not cause heartache. Dont use sprung plate holders on repaired objects as the springs may pull the piece apart. Handle with care Dont trust handles; place one hand under the object and use the other to hold it securely at the side. Storage sense Protect your ceramics from dust by covering them with an acid-free tissue hat or polyethylene bag, but dont seal them in polyethylene, just slide the bag over the object. Sent packing When wrapping objects to move or ship them use plenty of tissue paper and, preferably, add a layer of Jiffy foam (polyethylene foam). Unwrap objects over a padded table in case anything falls out of the packing.

Gently does it Keep objects free from dust by brushing them with a hogs hair or a softer pony hair brush. Smoothsurfaced objects such as jars and vases in good condition can be wiped with a dry microfibre cloth. Washing instructions Remember, regular dusting will save you the need for more extensive cleaning, which is when most accidents happen! Never wash repaired ceramics, as glued joins can come apart. Surface dirt on glazed objects can be removed with a cotton wool bud dampened with water containing a few drops of a conservation-grade detergent. Rinse with a clean bud dampened with water. Never wash unglazed earthenware objects, like terracotta and many archaeological or ethnographic wares, as the water may cause staining. Do not use domestic bleach for cleaning ceramics as it can be damaging in the long term.
For more information see the Best for your palace card

The detail overleaf shows part of the decoration on this unusual porcelain chandelier, which can be seen in Princess Margarets Apartments at Kensington Palace. We bought this chandelier in May 2004 from an auctioneer in Germany. In the catalogue it was described as Meissen and dated 1860, but a ceramics conservator who did some work on it thought the chandelier was late 19th or early 20th century judging by the finish. She also thought it was probably Dresden, rather than Meissen. However, it is a spectacular and colourful addition to the apartments, and attracts a lot of comments from visitors, who either like it or loathe it!

Caring for wood


Hampton Court Palace has many intriguing wooden items. Possibly the most famous are the 18th-century Grinling Gibbons limewood carvings. The conservators dust the wooden furniture twice weekly, using microfibre dusters on flat surfaces, and soft brushes on more delicate or intricate surfaces. We apply a tiny amount of microcrystalline wax once every few years to protect the surfaces. Once a year, conservators climb 7 metre-high scaffolds, clutching soft natural bristle brushes, with portable vacuums strapped around their waists, to clean out the dust from hundreds of tiny crevices of the fine high-relief carvings
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Wood
Save your wood! Mould will grow on damp wood, and often occurs in furniture placed against an outside wall, for example at the back of drawers. Place furniture at least 25mm away from an outside wall and not close to radiators for risk of drying out and cracking, or near open windows. Direct sunlight has a very damaging effect. Handle with care Lift furniture - dont drag it. To lift a chair place your hands under the seat or on the legs, dont lift by its backs or arms. If you need to turn a piece of furniture over, do not pivot it on its legs but lift it off the ground and turn it. Mind your legs! Floor cleaning, vacuuming, polishing and mopping frequently damages the legs, feet and lower rungs of furniture. Move away the lightweight furniture and clean by hand around the rest.

Gently does it Lint and feather dusters can catch on raised veneer or in cracks and pull off pieces of wood. Use a lintfree hemmed duster (a tea towel is perfect) for smooth, flat surfaces. The brush off A pony hair brush or a soft synthetic brush that attracts dust through static electricity is safer than a duster for cleaning carved, gilded or lacquered wood, or surfaces that are damaged. Which wax? Always dust before waxing. Only wax furniture that already has a wax finish; use beeswax polish in a colour nearest to the wood. Dont wax too frequently or the surface will dull. Apply thinly and buff with a dry lint free cloth. Avoid aerosol polishes or polish containing silicone, which build up and are very hard to remove. On your marks Wipe up any spilt liquid from wooden surfaces immediately to avoid staining. Always use coasters under glasses, hot cups and plant pots.
For more information see the Best for your palace card

The Queen Anne coffer c1700 made of walnut and laburnum. See it in the Wolsey Rooms at Hampton Court Palace. Chests like these, elaborately carved, were the precursors of our modern wedding chests or a bride-to-bes bottom drawer for storing bedlinen, among other things, in preparation for a marriage. What we now know as a chest of drawers developed from these deep coffers. People wearied of plunging to the bottom of the chest to retrieve items, so carpenters began to divide up the space for ease of access.

Caring for costume


Kensington Palace houses a breathtaking collection of 3,973 fine ceremonial dresses, and court costumes. Although our costumes are totally shielded from UV rays, we rotate items on display every few years, as even low-level light is damaging. Each costume has its own custom-fit mannequin, so that it is not strained while on display. To get a proper fit and drape, and to avoid repeat handling, we practice costume fittings with toiles, cotton replicas of each costume. When resting most of our costumes are kept in padded metal drawers or acid-free boxes, and frequently checked for destructive insects.
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Costume
Save your dress! Make sure a precious dress is cleaned before it is stored. Moths and carpet beetles are drawn to any bodily fluids or food stains remaining. However, antique clothing can be ruined by inappropriate cleaning so seek advice from a textile conservator. Faded glory Lace, linens and cottons can take on a patina over time, making them ivory-toned. Washing doesnt necessarily return these to the bright white that we are now used to. So store these flat, in acid-free boxes, and enjoy them as they are. View lace from a tray or in a box, as it can become brittle over time. Beat the bugs Keeping cupboards clean and dry can help reduce the risk of insect attack and mould, which can leave holes and stain permanently. Allow air to circulate and inspect clothes regularly, especially from spring through to early autumn.

Chill out Freezing will zap most bugs but textiles need to be strong and undecorated. Gently fold or roll infested garment with padding, seal in a sturdy plastic bag and place in your freezer for a couple of days. Let garments come up to room temperature before unsealing the bag. Storage sense Hanging clothes puts a strain on seams and fibres, so it is safer to store delicate items flat and carefully folded in roomy acid-free boxes well padded with acid-free paper. Fold clothing carefully using lengths of scrunched tissue paper to pad out the folds so that they are not squashed flat. Heavy items may have to be hung, so make sure the hanger supports the full length of the shoulders, but is not too wide, and is padded with polyester wadding covered with washed cotton. Make covers for hanging items out of washed sheeting and use cotton tape to tie them closed.

Wedding dress, worn on 23 September 1916 by a Miss Dorothy Poulson. See other dresses from the 1920s and 1930s at Kensington Palace. One of the most bizarre court fashions in the palaces history was the ever-widening mantua, or hooped skirt, considered chic for 18th-century court life. The style, which provided a great opportunity to show off fine silk and elaborate embroidery, grew ever more extreme until women had to turn sideways to pass through doorways! Finally, an exasperated George IV banned them on his succession in 1820.

For more information see the Best for your palace card

Caring for stone


The stone-paved floors and passageways at Hampton Court get a huge amount of wear from visitors every year. Every day at the crack of dawn our miles of sturdy floors are carefully vacuumed to rid them of damaging grit and dust from those paving stones that are breaking up. We vacuum the cobbled courtyards too. Functions are often held in our beautiful Orangery but the high-gloss Swedish limestone floor is always covered with absorbent matting during festivities. People often assume that red wine is the big risk, but some Champagnes are suspected to be extremely corrosive to marble and some limestones.
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Stone
Save your stone! Watch out for red wine or oil spills. Many types of stone are surprisingly porous, and stain very easily. Even commercial cleaning products can etch and damage floors and worktops. Always use plates under plant pots, and move around to avoid discolouration of the stone from soil salts. Wipe your feet Value the humble door mat it will remove a huge amount of scratchy grit from shoes. The brush type is very effective. Shake regularly. Softly softly Take off your sharp heels at the door, and wear slippers on stone floors. Over time, heels cause a great deal of damage. Protect and survive Use runners or mats to protect floors in heavy traffic areas, such as at sinks or in hallways. Lift these occasionally to check for trapped moisture or dirt. Rugs will also protect against spillages.

Frost-proof the statues Protect garden statuary and bird baths in late autumn by wrapping in Tyvek sheeting secured with string. Ensure stone is completely dry before covering. Cleaning instructions Sweep or vacuum floors regularly, this avoids the need to wet wash so frequently, which is harsher on the stone. Before washing, use a plastic spatula (nothing stronger) to scrape off any built-up dirt or food debris. Wash with tepid water containing a small amount of neutral detergent, using a well wrung-out soft sponge or string mop to minimise wetting. Replenish water regularly during washing, and finish with a clean rinse. Avoid commercial cleaning and scouring products.
The Swedish limestone floor in Fountain Court, Hampton Court Palace. Over 20 paving stones lead into 156 metres of culverts under the palace, which open out into the Thames. It is said that during his daring (and ultimately unsuccessful) escape from Hampton Court Palace, King Charles I made his way to the mouth of one of these culverts. There he waited for his followers to help him cross the river. He was recaptured and held on the Isle of Wight before being executed outside another of the historic royal palaces, the Banqueting House, in January 1649.

For more information see the Best for your palace card

Caring for framed artwork


Our framed prints and watercolours need to be displayed in dim light, as even black ink can fade. They are protected in an acid-free environment, sealed behind glass and buffered with acid free matting and backing boards. The back is taped to create a seal against dust and insects. Once a year our conservators climb step ladders to dust the glazing, steadying the frame with one hand while gently flicking off dust with a soft bristle brush. If needed, we wipe the glazing with a soft flannel cloth dampened slightly with our own mixture of water and alcohol.
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Framed artworks on paper


Handle with care Dont touch unframed paper with greasy fingers! Lift your artwork with the help of a card support underneath, avoiding unnecessary touching and possibly damaging edges. If it is unframed, store your artwork on paper, flat, in acid-free boxes. Framing facts Works on paper, including photographs, need to be surrounded by neutral conservation-grade materials. Ordinary card, paper and wood backing boards contain acids that can discolour and embrittle paper. Professional framers will ensure that the glazing doesnt touch the artwork, as this can damage it, especially if it is a work of charcoal or pastel crayons or a photographic image.

Choose glass, not acrylic, for these works as static from acrylic will draw off the particles of charcoal and pastels. Dealing with hang-ups Display your framed artworks on interior walls. Where possible place in relatively dry and cool rooms to prevent mould growth, and damage from moisture-loving insects like silverfish. Seal frames carefully to deter insects. Avoid hanging work above a fireplace or hot radiator. Cleaning instructions Cleaning paper requires the specialist skills and materials of paper conservators as much can go wrong even with those techniques that appear to be straight forward, such as removing marks with a soft eraser. When cleaning the glazing on your framed works, apply a little water and alcohol on a clean flannel cloth first, never spray the cleaning fluid onto the glazing. It will quickly puddle on the bottom of the frame and migrate behind the glazing, damaging both the matting and work itself.

Caring for photographs To prevent handling and dust damage, put photos in polyester envelopes or corner mount in high quality albums or seal in frames. Dont write on the back of photos or use regular adhesive tape, as it stains. Store in a cool, dry place. Dont attempt to peel photos off card mounts instant disaster!

A promenade, c1865 by Thomas Robert Macquoid 1820-1912, showing people walking on the East Front of Hampton Court Palace. Queen Victorias decision to open the palace to the public in 1838 was greeted with great enthusiasm. People flocked in their thousands to stroll in the gardens and explore the history just as they do today! For more information see the Best for your palace card

Caring for iron and steel


The palaces are filled with many enduring items made of iron and steel: firedogs, kitchen spits and the 18th and 19th century fireplaces, plus over 3,000 arms and pieces of armour at Hampton Court Palace. The cast-iron fireplaces, many still in use, are cleaned annually using wire wool and white spirit. But spring cleaning the armour takes us ten days! Conservators work in shifts, perched on four-storey high scaffolding, to vacuum off the years dust. Many thousands of iron and steel objects now need their protective lacquer coating (which prevents corrosion) replaced, which will take years!
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Iron and steel


Save your iron and steel! Iron and steel will rust in damp air to form orange or red corrosion, leading to pitting. An object should be raised off the floor on a plinth to protect from dampness caused by mopping floors. Keep surfaces dust free, as dust particles can absorb the airs moisture and start corrosion. Handle with care Always wear gloves when handling iron and steel as salt deposits from your skin can speed up the rust formation. Gently does it Cast iron is very brittle and if dropped or set down too hard it can break surprisingly easily. Storage sense Keep iron objects dry. Do not leave them directly on a cement, stone or ceramic floor but put them on a shelf, pallet or battens to raise

them up. Small objects can be stored wrapped in acid-free tissue paper in a sealed plastic box, such as a cake or sandwich box. Cleaning instructions Only clean if surfaces are smooth, unpainted and either uncorroded or just lightly rusted. Clean off grime with cotton wool buds or soft cloth moistened with white spirit or alcohol. Remove light rust from iron and steel using fine abrasive paste on a cotton wool swab. Clean off the abrasive with white spirit. Use fine wire wool with white spirit on more severe rust. But do not use these abrasive methods if the surface is uneven, coloured or decorated. Protect the metal immediately after cleaning with microcrystalline wax or gun oil. Cast-iron fire grates can be warmed up and brushed with blacking for their protection and an even black finish. Stainless steel can be washed in warm soapy water, rinsed and dried well.

Georgian fireplace, cast iron with a polished steel surround. See it in Queen Charlottes Bedroom at Kew Palace. There are 23 fireplaces on three floors at Kew Palace, including two in what were the servants quarters in the attic, which is unusual. Being so near to the river, this was not a warm palace, so was used most as a summer residence. When Queen Charlotte was compelled by illness to stay at Kew during the autumn of 1818, she must have welcomed the heat from this handsome fireplace. She died in her bedroom on 17 November, surrounded by her daughters Augusta and Mary, and sons the Prince Regent and the Duke of York.

For more information see the Best for your palace card

Caring for stained gl ass


In the Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace, you can see some magnificent Victorian latticed and jewel-coloured stained glass. There is leaded colourless glass in the Chapel Royal, and some at the Tower of London. Our massive window glass in the Great Hall is a challenge to reach, but we must inspect the windows regularly. Every few years we gently hand-clean the leaded glass of the Towers Chapel Royal using soft cloths and a little distilled water, taking care to avoid pressing and distorting the lead cames. Otherwise we are quite happy to let rain wash away the external dirt!
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Stained glass
Gently does it Sometimes the colour on stained glass is applied almost like paint to one side of the glass (the back or underside) and may come off very easily. Try to avoid slamming a door with stained glass. Handle with care Panels of glass should be kept in a frame so that they keep their shape. The lead cames can be soft and also may corrode so check them carefully before handling a stained glass item. Storage sense Put polyethylene foam on shelves used for glass lamp shades to protect the edges from damage. Protect small objects from dust with hats of acid-free tissue paper and use clean dust sheets for larger objects.

Washing instructions Do not use commercial glass cleaner on leaded glass as the chemicals can damage the lead, putty and even the glass. Before cleaning a decorated glass panel check that the colours will not come off by carefully rubbing with a damp cotton wool bud. If it does, just brush off dust and only clean the undecorated side. If the panel is very dirty use a 2:1 mixture of water to alcohol on a cotton wool swab and then dry with a microfibre cloth. Clean lampshades with a damp microfibre cloth, or if they are very dirty use the alcohol and water mixture. Breaking point If you do have a disaster, gather up any loose pieces, wrap them individually in tissue paper and store them safely. A qualified glass or ceramics conservator might be able to repair the damage.

This window, c1843 is from the Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace, and shows Cardinal Wolsey and King Henry VIII. The stained glass that originally decorated the Great Hall was designed by Galyon Home, King Henry VIIIs master glazier. It was removed around 1838, probably in a state of disrepair, and replaced by new glass designed by Thomas Willement in 1843 (east and west windows) and 1847 (side windows). The Victorian designs are mainly heraldic and include the coats of arms of all Henrys wives including the disgraced ones!

For more information see the Best for your palace card

Caring for leather


We have some fascinating leather items at the palaces, many of military origin. There are splendid boots, shoes, gloves and uniform belts, as well as drums, musketeers pouches and bandoliers. Items are padded with acid-free tissue to maintain shape and prevent creasing, which over time can cause permanent cracks. Many of our leather items bear the marks of past wear, sometimes even scars from battle. But these evoke the life and times of previous owners, and we feel we should just let them be. So when items are on display, we rarely do more than dust the leather and refresh padding.
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Leather
Save that skin! Leather is pretty tough, but is prone to damage from wear, tear and handling, water or high humidity. Animals, as well as insects, find leather very tasty. If youre a fan of 19th-century antique leather bound books, look out for powdery red rot (caused by sulphur pollution in the air). Contact a conservation specialist. Storage sense Pad gloves, shoes, bags and hats with crumpled up acid-free tissue paper to support their shape. This is also the best way to dry out modern leather items if they have got wet, but replace the tissue as it becomes wet. Softly, softly Some old leathers are not as strong as they look and tear or split easily, so handle them carefully. Do not let leather become too dry as it will become brittle, so avoid placing in direct sunlight or near a radiator.

Gently does it Oils and dressings can often cause a lot of long-term damage, so keep leather clean by dusting with a soft brush. To improve the appearance of a smooth leather object such as a suitcase, rub in a little beeswax furniture polish (not cream) using your finger or a soft cloth. Polish with a soft brush or cloth. Cleaning instructions Dont use modern cleaning products on old leather or vintage leather as they can damage and stain the surface. Some leather can be marked or damaged by water so do not wet clean leather, just dust. Any remaining dirt may come off by wiping with a cotton wool swab barely dampened with a little white spirit. A dry chemical sponge, which looks like an eraser, lightly rubbed over dirty areas or a dry microfibre cloth will also remove some of the dirt.
Safari boots and boot trees used by the Duke of Windsor, c1920. See them at Kensington Palace. This style of boot, worn by the Duke of Windsor, is known as a Derby good for hunting and shooting in summer as it supports the ankle. The Duke was extremely fond of safaris; accounts exist of his African excursions in 1928 and 1930. He was a contemporary of British aristocrat and adventurer Denys Finch Hatton, lover of Baroness (Out of Africa) Blixen. The Duke always had a great sense of style, and is credited, not always accurately, with starting several fashion trends, including the Windsor Knot for neckties. His elegance owed much to his figure, as he stayed trim throughout his life. His waist went from 29 to 31 over half a century.

For more information see the Best for your palace card

Caring for hanging textiles


Conservators care for over 50 massive hanging textiles, tapestries and embroideries at the palaces, some dating back to the 1530s. Most famous of the tapestries is the Abraham set at Hampton Court, commissioned by Henry VIII for the Great Hall and now extremely brittle. We clean in pairs you may have seen us on a visit and one of us will gently hold a windowtype screen against a tapestry, while the other vacuums through it. Each year we clean a surface area equivalent to six tennis courts. As with all textiles, the less exposure to light and insects, the better the item will fare.
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Hanging textiles
Save your textiles! Textiles and dyes are easily damaged by light so try to display them out of bright artificial light and sunlight. Avoid hanging textiles on an outside wall as it may become damp and mouldy. Beat the bugs Insects often attack wool or silk curtains, especially the folds, so vacuum these areas once a month. Keep your distance Display your hanging textiles as far away as possible from people the biggest source of dust and soot sources, as particles can become embedded in the fibres. Supporting role To hang flat textiles, avoid stress damage by supporting evenly across the entire width of the top using hook and loop tape. For curtains, place hooks or rings close to each other.

Storage sense Store small textiles in acid-free boxes. Pad any necessary creases or folds with scrunched up acid-free tissue paper and do not pack the boxes too tightly. Larger objects should be rolled around an acid-free tube, interlayered with tissue paper, with the decoration or pile facing outwards and covered with a clean cotton dust sheet, tied at each end. Suspend the roll from a dowel on wall brackets if possible. Cleaning instructions A lot of damage can be caused by inappropriate washing, dry cleaning and vacuuming. Always ask advice from a textile conservator first, expecially if textiles are very old and delicate. If the textile is in strong condition, vacuum both sides at least once per year. It may be easier to take the hanging down and place it flat on a dust sheet. Use a vacuum cleaner with suction set to low (use crevice head or flat upholstery tool) covered with nylon net. Hold nozzle just above the textile surface.
A vibrant example of an early 17th-century verdure tapestry, one of many similar designs on display at Hampton Court Palace. This type of early 17th-century tapestry is known as verdure, typically showing highly detailed and botantically correct designs. You can also see the world famous Abraham Tapestries in the Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace. They were commissioned by Henry VIII and probably first hung for the visit of the French Ambassador in 1546. We assume he was impressed; each tapestry cost as much as a fully-rigged battle ship!

For more information see the Best for your palace card

Caring for silver


Our palace collection has 4,000 of the purest sterling silver teaspoons at Kensington, while at Hampton Court you can see a magnificent solid silver chandelier in the state apartments and some replica candle sconces made from original patterns. We dont need to polish the silver so often at Hampton Court Palace or Kew, as its less affected by the air pollution of central London. Thats good news for us, as every time we polish a little of the silver is removed. The more solid silver objects are dusted regularly and rubbed gently with silver polishing cloths about once a year.
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Silver
Save your silver! Tarnish is the main enemy of silver exposed to air (which contains sulphur pollutants), so youll have to be prepared to keep the silver frames of your family photos polished regularly if you want to keep them on show. Handle with care Always wear gloves when handling your decorative silver, as fingerprints will mark the metal. Your favourite silver rings will stay bright through regular hand-washing; frequently worn bracelets and necklaces need only a gentle polish to retain sparkle. Storage sense Wrap your special-occasion silver carefully in acid-free tissue and store in plastic or metal containers. Check your jewellery boxes: cardboard and wooden boxes are acidic, so accelerate tarnishing of rarely-worn jewellery.

Softly softly If you wrap silver cutlery or jewellery in cloth, use cotton not wool, as wool contains natural oils which can affect silver. Gently does it A soft brush (a make-up brush is ideal) is safer than a cloth for dusting fragile or spiky objects. Cotton buds dampened in alcohol are invaluable for cleaning deposits of dirt in the crevices of highly embellished items. Washing instructions If an object is made entirely from silver, its quite safe to wash it in warm, soapy water, rinse clean and wipe with a soft cloth. Never immerse any pots with ivory or wooden handles. The easiest and safest method of cleaning silver is to use silver foam on a soft sponge. Use good quality silver polish on objects that you cannot get wet. Its far better to wash silver cutlery by hand than put it in the dishwasher, as some cutlery handles are filled with soft resin which will soften in very hot water.

Solid silver teapot, c1803 with royal crest of George III, part of the collection at Kew Palace. Taking tea had become fashionable within wealthy and royal households by the early 19th century. Etiquette dictated that tea was brought in by servants and served by the hostess herself, who would refresh the pot with hot water from a nearby silver kettle kept on a low flame. Princess Augusta Sophia, seated in the drawing room at Kew Palace, must have delighted in using this lovely kettle to entertain close acquaintances.

For more information see the Best for your palace card

Caring for carpets and rugs


Our 16th and 17thcentury carpets in the Kings Apartments at Hampton Court Palace are extremely valuable and fragile. They are too brittle to be walked on and they are kept behind ropes at least a metre from the visitor walkway. This halves the dustfall (mainly from visitors!) so we only need to vacuum delicately every few years. Special plastic sheeting is placed under the carpets to protect fibres from the damaging acids of the wood floors. To prevent fading, where possible the carpets are kept away from the light. The suns rays, which can break down fibres, are blocked by ultra-violet radiation film on palace windows.
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Carpets and rugs


Save your carpets! Avoid placing an antique or a silk carpet in a very light area, or where it will be walked on frequently. Where practical, close curtains or blinds in a room that is not being used. Under cover A good quality underlay will protect a carpet from some wear, and its essential where the floor is uneven. Flat out A rug on top of a fixed carpet will often move and ruck up, presenting a safety hazard. We sew a patch of canvas onto the lower carpet just smaller than the rug, but in a home its probably easier to place some polyester wadding under the top carpet and replace each year.

Suck it and see Too much cleaning will wear out a carpet. Use a suction vacuum cleaner rather than one with rotating brushes and set on lowest suction strength. Lift and drag the vacuum over the carpet, avoiding wearing back and forth actions. It helps occasionally to turn a small carpet over and pat the back with the flat of your hand to loosen any grit before vacuuming. Gently does it Do not hang an antique carpet and beat it with a carpet beater as this can put a lot of strain on the threads and cause them to break. Use a net over the end of the vacuum on a carpet that has a lot of loose threads or is in poor condition, or vacuum through a net screen. Storage sense If an antique carpet has to be moved or stored it should be rolled around a tube, pile side outermost, rather than folded. The larger the carpet the bigger the diameter of the tube. Always roll in the direction of the pile which should feel the smoothest.

Washing instructions Do not use steam cleaners or commercial carpet cleaners and cleaning materials on an antique carpet. If you feel your carpet really needs washing ask a textile conservator for advice.

Esfahan (Persian) 17th-century, wool pile carpet on cotton, with design of palmettes and cloudbands. See it in the Queens Drawing Room at Hampton Court Palace. In 1601 Shah Abbas the Great (1588-1629) set up his famous carpet workshops in Esfahan which produced fabulous carpets in deep, rich and varied colours. The Shah presented these gorgeous rugs to distinguished European visitors and you can spot Esfahan carpets in many court paintings by early 17th and 18th-century Dutch artists, Rubens in particular.

For more information see the Best for your palace card

Caring for brass


We have literally hundreds of brass door knobs, exquisite locks, window catches and bolts at our palaces. Exposed to air, brass tarnishes a dull, dark green, especially in moist or polluted air. The metal scratches easily, and becomes vulnerable to damage from skin salts. We have to keep a balance between keeping our brass shiny and over-polishing, which removes some brass each time. We dust with soft cloths, and polish only sparingly where a high shine is needed. We try to achieve this simply by rubbing, and if more is needed, we use copper polishing cloths. Crevices benefit from small amounts of wadding polish wound on to cocktail sticks.
F Turn over for our expert tips on
caring for your brass objects

Brass
Save your brass! Dont polish obsessively you will remove too much brass. An occasional rub will help prevent the build up of tarnish. Avoid displaying brass objects over a fireplace, or in a moist atmosphere, as this hastens corrosion (tarnishing). Handle with care Always wear gloves when handling brass as the oils or moisture from your hands can mark the metal. Some older bronze objects look stronger than they really are; certain copper alloys used in the past are brittle and can shatter if dropped. Storage sense Wrap brass in acid-free tissue and store in plastic or metal containers rather than cardboard boxes. Special corrosion-inhibiting bags and rolls are available from conservation suppliers (see Best for your palace card).

Softly softly Microcrystalline wax is better than brass polish; apply to a cleaned surface with a soft brush and polish off with a lint-free cloth to give protection from tarnishing. Gently does it Remove accumulated old polish by wrapping some fibres of cotton wool round the end of a cocktail stick and dampening it with alcohol or white spirit. Cleaning instructions Dust regularly with a soft brush or use a dry microfibre cloth on smooth objects. An object made purely from solid brass can be washed in warm water with a few drops of (ideally) conservation-grade detergent. Rinse in warm water and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth. This will remove accumulated dirt. Use a fine abrasive paste (eg Prelim) on a cotton wool bud or swab to polish the brass as it is easier and often more effective than liquid brass polish. Buff with a soft, clean cloth or soft brush.
For more information see the Best for your palace card

Brass door lock c1731. See it on the door to the Queens Boudoir, at Kew Palace. These locks at Kew Palace were made for Frederick, Prince of Wales. A specialist locksmith conserved these original locks as part of the restoration of Kew Palace, then together with an engraver, created a new lock with the cipher of Charles, our current Prince of Wales, to celebrate the reopening of Kew on 5 May 2006.

A brief guide to some of the essential tools and cleaning substances we use at the royal palaces. All are available from specialist conservation suppliers (details overleaf) but many can be found in more general shops as shown.

Best for your palace


Abrasive paste for cleaning some hard surfaces. Choose paste without ammonia and the finest, evenly graded abrasive, for example Prelim or Solvol autosol. From motor accessory stores.

Chemical sponge Used dry, this picks up and absorbs or removes dirt by rubbing. From jewellery and silverware stores. Corrosion inhibiting bags or rolls protect polished copper and silver from tarnishing. Cotton cloth is used for silver, while Intercept, a treated Polythene, is used for a wide range of metals. Cotton buds and wool Any of the commercial varieties will suffice, provided theyre 100% cotton. Cotton or linen tape Unbleached and undyed tape is used to secure objects. From haberdashery departments. Detergent: Conservation grade This must be free of colour, perfume, optical brighteners, enzymes and bleach and have a neutral pH (about pH7). You can use liquid detergent for delicate silk and wool fabrics (which you can buy in supermarkets) if it is free of the above ingredients.

Acid-free or archival quality tissue paper, card and boxes etc From good department stores and art suppliers. Alcohol (Isopropanol or propan-2-ol) is very effective at removing some types of dirt. (Methylated spirits is not recommended.) From pharmacies. Brushes A pony or goat hair brush will remove dust from delicate surfaces such as silver, gilding and lacquer. Hogs hair is better for more robust surfaces such as ceramics, carved wood and copper alloy.

Dusters Avoid using yellow fluffy dusters as they leave fabric behind, or pull up loose bits of wood. Hemmed cotton or linen dusters are recommended, available from hardware shops or department stores. Gloves Cotton or disposable latex, vinyl or nitrile will protect objects from skin salts. Choose 370NBP Assembly Grip and 265NBR Assembly Grip Lite, from jewellers suppliers or some department stores. Microcrystalline wax A fine, glass-clear wax, designed for use on historic collections. From some hardware stores and conservation suppliers (sold as Renaissance Wax). Polishing cloths These impregnated cloths are available for silver and gold and sometimes for copper and brass. Use them dry and lightly rub over the surface to maintain a shine and remove fingerprints. From supermarkets and hardware shops.

Where to find out more


Conservation advice (UK) Try your local museum, or The Conservation Register (020 7785 3804; www.conservationregister.com) which lists accredited conservators by specialism or location. Conservation advice (USA) The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works in Washington D.C. (202) 452-9545 runs a Conservation Services Referral System at aic.stanford.edu

See you soon? We would love to see you at our five palaces, and to answer your questions in person!
Find out more about Ask The Conservator scheme, and all our other exciting exhibitions and events at www.hrp.org.uk

Specialist Conservation Suppliers


www.conservation-by-design.co.uk 01234 853 555 www.conservationresources.com 01865 747 755 www.preservationequipment.co.uk 01379 647400

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