A process and apparatus for the continuous treatment of annealed and non-annealed hot strip of stainless steel. First, the hot strip is stretched, bent and straightened to break a scale which has grown on the hot strip. Then, a electrolytic pickling is performed in an electrolyte with multiple alternating anodically-connected and cathodically-connected strip polarization. Directly following thereafter, pickling once again takes place in the electrolyte with multiple anodically-connected electrodes arranged directly behind one another and corresponding cathodic strip polarization, followed by anodic strip polarization produced by means of a cathodically-connected electrode. To further remove any scale remaining on the surface of the hot strip, the hot strip is subject to high-pressure fluid spraying or brush aggregates. Renewed electrolytic pickling in performed with at least one electrolyte with multiple exclusively cathodically-connected electrodes and anodic strip polarization. Finally, post-treatments are performed such as washing, brushing, post-washing and drying of the strip surface.