use strict;
use warnings;

sub clean {
    my $ref = shift;
    
    if ('HASH' eq ref $ref) {
        clean ($ref->{$_}), $ref->{$_} = undef for keys %$ref;
    } elsif ('ARRAY' eq ref $ref) {
        clean ($_), $_ = undef for @$ref;
    }
}


my $hashvar = {
    emp => {},
    hemp =>
        {splay => {}, hay => {go => 1, ho => {},}, tay => [], may => ['way'],},
        };

clean ($hashvar);
$hashvar = undef;

##</code><code>##

use strict;
use warnings;
use Data::Dump::Streamer;

sub clean {
    my $ref = $_[0];
    
    if ('HASH' eq ref $ref) {
        clean ($ref->{$_}) and delete $ref->{$_} for keys %$ref;
        return ! keys %$ref;
    } elsif ('ARRAY' eq ref $ref) {
        clean ($ref->[$_]) and delete $ref->[$_] for reverse 0 .. $#$ref;
        return ! @$ref;
    } else {
        return ! defined $ref;
    }
}


my $hashvar = {
    emp => {},
    hemp =>
        {splay => {}, hay => {go => 1, ho => {},}, tay => [], may => ['way'],},
        };

clean ($hashvar);
Dump ($hashvar);

##</code><code>##

$HASH1 = { hemp => {
           hay => { go => 1 },
           may => [ 'way' ]
         } };