Abstract: A method and container cleaning machine for reducing the harmful materials which pass into the waste water from a bottle cleaning machine which includes a preliminary soaking tank, a subsequently arranged soaking and washing solution bath which includes at least one bath, and spraying sections which are arranged after the soaking and washing solution bath. Soaking solution is used as the bath solution for the preliminary soaking tank. At least a partial flow of the soaking solution is removed from the preliminary soaking tank, is cleaned, and is returned to a soaking bath of comparable wash solution concentration for further bottle handling while observing the bath solution levels which are to be maintained and while observing a sufficient wash solution regeneration. The used spray water from the spraying sections is withdrawn from the container cleaning machine while bypassing the preliminary soaking tank.