Abstract: A cleaning machine for removing slag from the interior of a reaction ladle characterized in that the ladle is supported in upright position on a turntable for angular indexing about its vertical axis after each vertical band of slag has been chipped or broken away from the ladle by the tool of a downwardly actuated pneumatic hammer. The hammer is swingably adjustably connected to the tip of a boom which has its upper end swingably adjustably connected to a boom carriage, the carriage being vertically adjustably guided between a pair of columns extending upwardly beyond the upper end of the ladle from a base rearwardly adjacent the turntable.