WET CLEANING DEVICE FOR CLEANING A SURFACE

A wet cleaning apparatus has a cleaning element for mechanically wet cleaning an area to be cleaned and a device section that supports the wet cleaning apparatus relative to the area. The wet cleaning apparatus comprises a displacement device that is designed for automatically causing a displacement of the cleaning element relative to the device section or vise versa in dependence on a state of motion and/or an error status of the wet cleaning apparatus such that the cleaning element can be displaced from an operating position, in which it is lowered onto the area, into a distant position, in which it is lifted off the area. A detection device is assigned to the displacement device and is designed for distinguishing between a standstill of the wet cleaning apparatus and a motion of the wet cleaning apparatus.