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What is the best way to clear floated elements in CSS?

What is currently considered the best way to clear CSS floated elements that will:

  • Keep the HTML markup as semantic and free of unnecessary elements as possible, and
  • Be a cross-browser, cross-platform solution that works reliably for the majority of browsers?
Solution

  • This isn't a graphic design question. It's a CSS one, so belongs on StackOverflow.

    That said, the answer for keeping the HTML clean is simply to give the parent an overflow. So if your markup is:

    <div class="wrapper">
    <div style="float: left;"></div>
    <div style="float: left;"></div>
</div>

    you can give wrapper an overflow:

    .wrapper {overflow: auto}

    And now .wrapper will contain both the floats.

    That's usually all that is needed.

    Sometimes, in older IEs, the container also needs a width.