Abstract: Both an apparatus and method for water washing garments in order to remove particulate radioactive contaminants therefrom is disclosed herein. The apparatus generally comprises a washing machine having a wash-water inlet, a rinse-water inlet, a circulation inlet, a water outlet and a particulate removal system connected between the circulation inlet and the water outlet of the washing machine for circulating water introduced into the washing machine between two and three times through a filtration bank while the machine washes or rinses the garments. The apparatus also includes a hydraulically closed wash-water system having a polished wash-water reservoir connected to the wash-water inlet of the washing machine, as well as a hydraulically closed rinse-water system having a polished rinse-water reservoir connected to the rinse-water inlet of the machine. Both the wash-water system and the rinse-water system also have water polishers for removing dissolved radionucleides from the clothing.