Abstract: For cleaning an adhesive applicator with driven adhesive rollers, which can be rotated around vertical axes and which together with a housing, which is positioned at these adhesive rollers and whose side edges rest or almost rest against the adhesive rollers, forms an adhesive chamber, the adhesive is removed first from the adhesive chamber, for example by opening a floor seal. Then wash water is introduced into the adhesive chamber. The wash water is displaced into turbulent flows by driving the adhesive rollers alternating in opposite directions to each other. The wash water is drained after a fixed cleaning period.