Abstract: A magnetic separator for the separation of ferromagnetic solid particles and nonmagnetic particles from a liquid medium comprises a cylindrical separation chamber (1a) with an inlet opening (2) and an outlet opening (3), as well as a dirt chamber (1b) with a drain (4). A cylindrical pipe (5) extends through the separation chamber (1a) and the dirt chamber (1b). In this pipe, a magnetic rod (6, 6a) is movable from its normal operating position into a washing position, and vice versa. By displacement of the magnetic rod (6, 6a) into the washing position, the separated solid particles are transported into the dirt chamber (1b) and are flushed out therefrom by a partial stream of the medium undergoing treatment. During the washing step, a sufficiently large section (6) of the magnetic rod (7, 6a) is still in the separation chamber (1a) at all times, and so there is no interruption of the separation operation during washing.