Abstract: Endless, movable, horizontal conveyor moves containers successively past sprays in treatment zones comprising pre-wash, wash, pre-rinse, primary rinse, and final or secondary rinse zones, between adjacent loading and unloading zones. Fresh water is sprayed in the final rinse zone and collected in a rinse liquid reservoir with liquid sprayed in the primary rinse zone. Used rinse liquid from the rinse liquid reservoir is reused in the primary rinse zone where it is recycled back to the rinse liquid reservoir, after which it is reused still again in both the pre-wash and pre-rinse zones before being drained from the machine. Hot sanitizing caustic solution is recycled between a sanitizing solution reservoir and the wash zone. Make-up liquid for the sanitizing solution reservoir is provided from the rinse liquid reservoir through a level responsive valve.