An apparatus for washing containers for fluids, comprising: - at least one rotary plate, rotatable around a first vertical axis x and adapted to rotatably support a container for fluids; and - cleaning means, comprising at least one cleaning element (7, 11), adapted to cleaning an outer surface of the container for fluids by friction, and a movement device, adapted to support and move the cleaning element (7, 11), said cleaning element (7, 11) having a cleaning surface, suitable to come into contact with the outer surface of the container for fluids, such cleaning surface being substantially extended along a primary direction, parallel to said first vertical axis x, and a secondary direction perpendicular to the primary direction; wherein said cleaning element (7, 11) is movable between a passive position, retracted along a direction transverse with respect to said first vertical axis x, and an active position, transversely proximal to the rotary plate, wherein the cleaning element (7, 11) is configured to come into contact with said outer surface of the container for fluids, wherein said cleaning element (7, 11) is movable reciprocally along a direction parallel to said first vertical axis x; and characterised in that said cleaning element (7, 11) is further configured to avoid a rotation around said primary direction. - at least one rotary plate, rotatable around a first vertical axis x and adapted to rotatably support a container for fluids; and - cleaning means, comprising at least one cleaning element (7, 11), adapted to cleaning an outer surface of the container for fluids by friction, and a movement device, adapted to support and move the cleaning element (7, 11), said cleaning element (7, 11) having a cleaning surface, suitable to come into contact with the outer surface of the container for fluids, such cleaning surface being substantially extended along a primary direction, parallel to said first vertical axis x, and a secondary direction perpendicular to the primary direction; wherein said cleaning element (7, 11) is movable between a passive position, retracted along a direction transverse with respect to said first vertical axis x, and an active position, transversely proximal to the rotary plate, wherein the cleaning element (7, 11) is configured to come into contact with said outer surface of the container for fluids, wherein said cleaning element (7, 11) is movable reciprocally along a direction parallel to said first vertical axis x; and characterised in that said cleaning element (7, 11) is further configured to avoid a rotation around said primary direction. wherein said cleaning element (7, 11) is movable between a passive position, retracted along a direction transverse with respect to said first vertical axis x, and an active position, transversely proximal to the rotary plate, wherein the cleaning element (7, 11) is configured to come into contact with said outer surface of the container for fluids, wherein said cleaning element (7, 11) is movable reciprocally along a direction parallel to said first vertical axis x; and characterised in that said cleaning element (7, 11) is further configured to avoid a rotation around said primary direction.