A method of sterilizing containers, wherein the containers are conveyed along a pre-set conveying path by a conveying device, and wherein an irradiation device is introduced by a relative movement between the container and the irradiation device in a longitudinal direction of the container into the interior of the container to be sterilized and emits a charge carrier irradiation to sterilize the inner wall of the container by the charge carrier irradiation, wherein an aperture region situated on the outside of the container is also sterilized.
