20 questions with Queen Elizabeth II’s former head housekeeper

Was there one surprisingly simple trick used in the palace that made things feel instantly more polished?

Jay, West Midlands

Making sure you have a routine is the best way for everything to feel polished. At the palace, the team is trained, and everyone has the right tools and time to do their job… They learned how to lift things safely and how to be confident when they were around the Royal Collection. When you’re cleaning historic areas such as palaces and castles, you have to make sure you don’t overdo it. We had a daily routine that ensured we didn’t over-clean everything.

What is the royal protocol for dealing with ironing and maintaining perfectly crisp sheets without using harsh, eco-unfriendly chemicals?

Saleem, London

Much of what would be classed as royal protocol are things we would do in our own homes. For linen, you need to treat it well and look after it by not washing it at too high a temperature or using too much detergent. Make sure the products you’re using are eco-friendly, not only for the environment, but also to care for the linen. For historic linen, it needs to be handled very gently, as it can tear quite easily.

Did the Queen get involved in any of the details of housekeeping?

Peter, East of England

I was very blessed. The Queen did leave it up to me to make those decisions because she trusted me to keep her home and the other royal residences clean and up to a great standard. I kept in touch with her, making sure the team was involved. We would have regular update meetings to ensure everyone knew what was happening and when. There was planned cleaning throughout the year depending on what was occurring, making sure certain areas were protected or closed off, for example.

I would feel very stressed cleaning around objects of great value, history and sentiment. How do you avoid disasters?

Catherine, North West

It’s important the team feels confident when cleaning those areas. We achieve that through training and building their confidence.

In the castle, we introduced a cleaning schedule that covered different areas within the state apartments – and it meant that we didn’t over-clean. The structure of this schedule was important. Every day, we would ensure we vacuumed and damp-dusted; there were no actual chemicals or any what I call “wet chemicals”. On a Monday, for instance, we would clean vases. On a Tuesday, we would do the fireplaces. On a Wednesday, it would be light fittings.

It’s crucial the team is given the right amount of time to clean, so that they don’t feel rushed or stressed. But we also have to remember that accidents happen. And if an accident happens and it was just an accident, then what can you do? It’s just one of those things.

Ultimately, making sure people are trained and confident is the key.

With limited time, what are the housekeeping priorities?

David, South West

My housekeeping priorities when at home are to make things look really tidy quickly. Putting your newspapers away, fluffing the cushions up, tidying the curtains, making sure your washing is cleared and the dishwasher is on – these are all things that will make a big difference, even if you haven’t had time to get your mop or vacuum out.

When are you satisfied a room is clean?

D, North West

I am quite a hard taskmaster and I do like perfection, but equally, that comes with making sure people understand the guidelines and what’s expected of them, after being trained properly.

I like to be visible and around the team, showing them what I’m looking at. I would get them to sit on a toilet and then shut the door, so they could see what’s behind the door – or sit in the bath, because that way you can see what other people are seeing when they’re using it. If you’re cleaning and rushing around, you don’t always see those little details.