Abstract: A cleaning apparatus in which an item to be cleaned is lowered into a tank of cleaning solution by a basket having an imperforate floor, the floor and tank forming a relatively narrow opening therebetween. The floor forces the underlying solution to flow through the opening at a relatively high velocity to sweep with it any sludge or sediment which may have previously settled on the bottom of the tank. Such solution flows above the basket floor and washes against the item being cleaned. Any sediment entering the solution tends to settle on top of the floor. When the basket is raised, it enables a drainage passage to be opened, permitting a remaining portion of the solution as well as a rinsing liquid to flow along the floor and through the drainage passage, sweeping with it such sediment, etc., which had previously settled on the basket floor.