Method for operating an automatically moving cleaning appliance

A method for operating a cleaning appliance, which moves automatically inside a surrounding area, wherein the cleaning appliance performs a cleaning of a defined spatially defined partial surface area of the surrounding area. To optimize the cleaning operation as a function of a measured soiling, it is proposed that a detection device of the cleaning appliance measures a level of soiling of the partial surface area during the cleaning of the partial surface area, wherein the level of soiling is compared to a defined reference level of soiling and wherein the partial surface area is enlarged automatically by adding a defined additional partial area, which adjoins the partial surface area, if a level of soiling above the reference level of soiling is determined inside the partial surface area.