A clearfix makes a parent element wrap around its floated children again, so borders, backgrounds and the content that follows stay where you expect. The examples outline every parent with a dashed border and every floated box with a solid one, so you can see the helper at work.
The parent wraps a float-start and a float-end button, so its dashed border surrounds both.
Dashed border: the .clearfix parent. It keeps its height even though both children float.
<div class="hp-cf clearfix">
<button type="button" class="btn btn-outline-secondary float-start">Back</button>
<button type="button" class="btn btn-primary float-end">Continue</button>
</div>
<p class="small text-body-secondary mt-2 mb-0">Dashed border: the .clearfix parent. It keeps its height even though both children float.</p>Side by side comparison: without the helper the parent collapses to its padding and the float hangs out.
Without .clearfix
With .clearfix
<div class="row g-3">
<div class="col-sm-6">
<p class="small fw-semibold mb-1">Without .clearfix</p>
<div class="overflow-hidden pb-5">
<div class="hp-cf">
<div class="hp-fl float-start px-3 py-4">
Float
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-sm-6">
<p class="small fw-semibold mb-1">With .clearfix</p>
<div class="hp-cf clearfix">
<div class="hp-fl float-start px-3 py-4">
Float
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>A floated avatar beside a short bio; the clearfix stops the next block from sliding up next to the image.
Product Designer, Toronto
This paragraph starts below the avatar, not beside it.
<div class="hp-cf clearfix">
<img src="../assets/img/avatar-12.svg" alt="Nadia Carter" width="72" height="72" class="hp-fl rounded-circle float-start me-3 mb-2">
<h3 class="h6 mb-1">Nadia Carter</h3>
<p class="small text-body-secondary mb-0">Product Designer, Toronto</p>
</div>
<p class="small mt-2 mb-0">This paragraph starts below the avatar, not beside it.</p>A title floated left and a status badge floated right inside a card header.
<div class="card">
<div class="card-header hp-cf clearfix">
<span class="hp-fl float-start px-2 fw-semibold">Business accounts</span> <span class="badge text-bg-success float-end mt-1">Cancelled</span>
</div>
<div class="card-body small">
Open a business account online in about ten minutes, with no branch visit.
</div>
</div>A floated button group and a floated search field share one toolbar row.
<div class="hp-cf clearfix bg-body-tertiary">
<div class="btn-group btn-group-sm float-start" role="group" aria-label="Text style">
<button type="button" class="btn btn-outline-secondary" aria-label="Bold"><i class="bi bi-type-bold" aria-hidden="true"></i></button>
<button type="button" class="btn btn-outline-secondary" aria-label="Italic"><i class="bi bi-type-italic" aria-hidden="true"></i></button>
<button type="button" class="btn btn-outline-secondary" aria-label="Underline"><i class="bi bi-type-underline" aria-hidden="true"></i></button>
</div>
<form class="float-end" role="search">
<label class="visually-hidden" for="hp-search-1231">Search</label>
<input class="form-control form-control-sm" id="hp-search-1231" type="search" placeholder="Search">
</form>
</div>Each list item floats the name left and the price right; clearfix keeps every row its own height.
<ul class="list-group">
<li class="list-group-item hp-cf clearfix"><span class="hp-fl float-start px-2">Savings vault</span><span class="hp-fl float-end px-2 fw-semibold">Free</span></li>
<li class="list-group-item hp-cf clearfix"><span class="hp-fl float-start px-2">Basic account</span><span class="hp-fl float-end px-2 fw-semibold">Free</span></li>
<li class="list-group-item hp-cf clearfix"><span class="hp-fl float-start px-2">Virtual card</span><span class="hp-fl float-end px-2 fw-semibold">Free</span></li>
<li class="list-group-item hp-cf clearfix"><span class="hp-fl float-start px-2">Metal card</span><span class="hp-fl float-end px-2 fw-semibold">$10.00</span></li>
</ul>A quote floated to the end of the paragraph; the article wrapper is cleared so the next section starts below.
"Finance tools your accountant will love"
Friendly people answer your questions quickly, by phone, chat or email. Invoices go out with a payment link, so customers can pay you in one click. Our team has done this many times, so you never have to guess. Send and receive money in more than 30 currencies at fair exchange rates.
Every detail is handled by people who care about getting it right.
<article class="hp-cf clearfix">
<blockquote class="hp-fl float-sm-end ms-sm-3 mb-2 p-3 fs-6 fst-italic">"Finance tools your accountant will love"</blockquote>
<p class="mb-2">Friendly people answer your questions quickly, by phone, chat or email. Invoices go out with a payment link, so customers can pay you in one click. Our team has done this many times, so you never have to guess. Send and receive money in more than 30 currencies at fair exchange rates.</p>
<p class="mb-0">Every detail is handled by people who care about getting it right.</p>
</article>
<h3 class="h6 mt-3 mb-0">Next section starts on a clean line</h3>A comment row with a floated avatar and a floated time stamp.
yesterday
Chloe Ortega
Every payment appears instantly, with receipts matched automatically.
<div class="hp-cf clearfix">
<img src="../assets/img/avatar-1.svg" alt="Chloe Ortega" width="40" height="40" class="rounded-circle float-start me-2"> <small class="hp-fl float-end px-2 text-body-secondary">yesterday</small> <strong class="d-block">Chloe Ortega</strong>
<p class="small mb-0">Every payment appears instantly, with receipts matched automatically.</p>
</div>float-md-start and float-md-end only float from the md breakpoint; below it the boxes stack.
<div class="hp-cf clearfix">
<div class="hp-fl float-md-start p-3 mb-2 mb-md-0">
<i class="bi bi-clock-fill" aria-hidden="true"></i> Opening hours: 17:00
</div>
<div class="hp-fl float-md-end p-3">
<i class="bi bi-geo-alt-fill" aria-hidden="true"></i> Lisbon
</div>
</div>Copyright floated left and social links floated right in a page footer.
<footer class="hp-cf clearfix border-top pt-3 small">
<p class="float-start mb-0">© 2026 Glowis</p>
<ul class="list-inline float-end mb-0">
<li class="list-inline-item"><a href="#" aria-label="Email"><i class="bi bi-envelope-fill" aria-hidden="true"></i></a></li>
<li class="list-inline-item"><a href="#" aria-label="Chat"><i class="bi bi-chat-dots-fill" aria-hidden="true"></i></a></li>
<li class="list-inline-item"><a href="#" aria-label="Location"><i class="bi bi-geo-alt-fill" aria-hidden="true"></i></a></li>
</ul>
</footer>The totals table floats to the end of an invoice; clearfix keeps the signature line below it.
| Subtotal | $605.00 |
|---|---|
| Tax | $42.35 |
| Total | $647.35 |
Thank you for your order #INV-5668.
<div class="hp-cf clearfix">
<table class="table table-sm hp-fl float-end w-auto mb-2">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Subtotal</th>
<td class="text-end">$605.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Tax</th>
<td class="text-end">$42.35</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Total</th>
<td class="text-end fw-bold">$647.35</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="small text-body-secondary mt-2 mb-0">Thank you for your order #INV-5668.</p>Several floated thumbnails wrap onto new lines; the gallery wrapper still has a real height.
Caption text sits under the gallery.
<div class="hp-cf clearfix">
<img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1758518730037-a16581a040e8?auto=format&fit=crop&w=800&h=800&q=70" alt="Gallery photo 1" width="80" height="80" class="hp-fl float-start me-2 mb-2 rounded"><img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1731458769726-cef60c792665?auto=format&fit=crop&w=800&h=800&q=70" alt="Gallery photo 2" width="80" height="80" class="hp-fl float-start me-2 mb-2 rounded"><img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1714974528757-f63c72154a1b?auto=format&fit=crop&w=800&h=800&q=70" alt="Gallery photo 3" width="80" height="80" class="hp-fl float-start me-2 mb-2 rounded"><img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1758518730083-4c12527b6742?auto=format&fit=crop&w=800&h=800&q=70" alt="Gallery photo 4" width="80" height="80" class="hp-fl float-start me-2 mb-2 rounded"><img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1688380692117-63178554d76d?auto=format&fit=crop&w=800&h=800&q=70" alt="Gallery photo 5" width="80" height="80" class="hp-fl float-start me-2 mb-2 rounded"><img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1624555130581-1d9cca783bc0?auto=format&fit=crop&w=800&h=800&q=70" alt="Gallery photo 6" width="80" height="80" class="hp-fl float-start me-2 mb-2 rounded">
</div>
<p class="small mt-2 mb-0">Caption text sits under the gallery.</p>Buttons floated to the end of a settings form.
<form class="hp-cf clearfix">
<div class="mb-3">
<label class="form-label" for="hp-name-1232">Display name</label>
<input class="form-control" id="hp-name-1232" type="text" value="Lucas Rossi">
</div>
<div class="float-end">
<button type="button" class="btn btn-light">Cancel</button>
<button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Save changes</button>
</div>
</form>Tags floated one after another; the clearfix parent grows with every wrapped line.
<div class="hp-cf clearfix">
<span class="badge rounded-pill text-bg-light border float-start me-1 mb-1">#design</span><span class="badge rounded-pill text-bg-light border float-start me-1 mb-1">#guide</span><span class="badge rounded-pill text-bg-light border float-start me-1 mb-1">#news</span><span class="badge rounded-pill text-bg-light border float-start me-1 mb-1">#release</span><span class="badge rounded-pill text-bg-light border float-start me-1 mb-1">#community</span><span class="badge rounded-pill text-bg-light border float-start me-1 mb-1">#update</span>
</div>An icon floated left, a time stamp floated right and the message in between.
Start in minutes and get help from a real person whenever you need it.
<div class="hp-cf clearfix bg-body">
<span class="hp-fl float-start me-2 px-2 py-1 text-primary"><i class="bi bi-bell-fill" aria-hidden="true"></i></span> <small class="float-end text-body-secondary">42 min ago</small>
<p class="small mb-0">Start in minutes and get help from a real person whenever you need it.</p>
</div>A floated badge in the top corner of a pricing card body.
$67.43
per month
<div class="card" style="max-width:20rem">
<div class="card-body">
<div class="hp-cf clearfix mb-2">
<h3 class="h5 float-start mb-0">Pro plan</h3>
<span class="badge text-bg-warning float-end">Popular</span>
</div>
<p class="display-6 mb-0">$67.43</p>
<p class="small text-body-secondary mb-0">per month</p>
</div>
</div>A breadcrumb floated left and a button floated right above a page.
<div class="hp-cf clearfix">
<nav class="float-start" aria-label="breadcrumb">
<ol class="breadcrumb mb-0 py-1">
<li class="breadcrumb-item"><a href="#">Home</a></li>
<li class="breadcrumb-item active" aria-current="page">Cards</li>
</ol>
</nav>
<button type="button" class="btn btn-sm btn-primary float-end"><i class="bi bi-plus-lg" aria-hidden="true"></i> New</button>
</div>Two floated tiles each half the width of the parent (w-50).
<div class="hp-cf clearfix">
<div class="w-50 float-start pe-1">
<div class="hp-fl p-3">
<div class="small text-body-secondary">
Visitors
</div>
<div class="fs-4 fw-semibold">
63.5k
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="w-50 float-start ps-1">
<div class="hp-fl p-3">
<div class="small text-body-secondary">
Orders
</div>
<div class="fs-4 fw-semibold">
1.4k
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>A product image floated to the end of a card body with the description flowing around it.
Every payment appears instantly, with receipts matched automatically.
<div class="card">
<div class="card-body hp-cf clearfix">
<img src="../assets/img/product-3.svg" alt="Virtual card" width="110" height="110" class="hp-fl float-end ms-3 rounded">
<h3 class="h6">Virtual card</h3>
<p class="small mb-0">Every payment appears instantly, with receipts matched automatically.</p>
</div>
</div>A classic two-column float layout: a floated nav box and a content box; clearfix closes the row.
Friendly people answer your questions quickly, by phone, chat or email. Real people answer your questions around the clock, every day of the year. Invoices go out with a payment link, so customers can pay you in one click. We measure success by how many members come back and tell their friends.
<div class="hp-cf clearfix">
<nav class="hp-fl float-sm-start me-sm-3 mb-2 p-2" aria-label="Section">
<ul class="nav flex-column small">
<li class="nav-item"><a class="nav-link active py-1" aria-current="page" href="#">Overview</a></li>
<li class="nav-item"><a class="nav-link py-1" href="#">Members</a></li>
<li class="nav-item"><a class="nav-link py-1" href="#">Billing</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>
<div class="overflow-hidden">
<h3 class="h6">What to look for in a business account</h3>
<p class="small mb-0">Friendly people answer your questions quickly, by phone, chat or email. Real people answer your questions around the clock, every day of the year. Invoices go out with a payment link, so customers can pay you in one click. We measure success by how many members come back and tell their friends.</p>
</div>
</div>