Aseptic filling apparatus and method of decontaminating the same

A method of decontaminating an aseptic filling apparatus, the aseptic filling apparatus comprising various kinds of stations including a content filling station arranged from an upstream side to a downstream side of a flow of a preform or container,

• each of the various kinds of stations being covered by a chamber, and
• the method comprising:
• sterilizing the content filling station by performing a CIP and then an SIP or performing an SIP serving also as a CIP of the content filling station;
• removing a cleaning liquid used in the CIP or SIP;
• and
• performing one or both of a COP and an SOP of the various kinds of stations in a predetermined order,
• wherein a first SOP using a first sterilizer and a second SOP using a second sterilizer are performed stepwise on the various kinds of stations while the CIP and the SIP or the SIP serving also as the CIP are being performed on the content filling station.