Name:	irm_CashReceivedRelatedToGoodwillToAcquirePriorYearAcquisitions
Namespace Prefix:	irm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Fair value and other adjustments to goodwill which may include, adjustments to property, plant and equipment, net, deferred income taxes, customer relationships, etc.

No definition available.

Name:	irm_FairValueAndOtherAdjustments
Namespace Prefix:	irm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Represents the amount of the fair value and other adjustments related to property, plant and equipment and other assumed liabilities.

No definition available.

Name:	irm_FairValueAndOtherAdjustmentsAssetsAndLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	irm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

The accumulated amount of amortization of goodwill.

No definition available.

Name:	irm_GoodwillAccumulatedAmortization
Namespace Prefix:	irm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Name:	irm_GoodwillAccumulatedAmortizationRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	irm_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The increase (decrease) in the accumulated amortization related to goodwill, for foreign currency translation adjustments and purchase accounting adjustments.

No definition available.

Name:	irm_GoodwillAccumulatedAmortizationTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
Namespace Prefix:	irm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Represents new reportable operating segments that a former reporting segment has been separated into.

No definition available.

Name:	irm_NewReportableSegment
Namespace Prefix:	irm_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Fair value and other adjustments to goodwill, related to adjustments to property, plant and equipment, net.

No definition available.

Name:	irm_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentFairValueAndOtherAdjustments
Namespace Prefix:	irm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

The amount of goodwill arising from a business combination that is expected to be deductible for tax purposes.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (d)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744584&loc=d3e6927-128479

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationGoodwillExpectedTaxDeductibleAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

Name:	us-gaap_Goodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of increase in asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized resulting from a business combination.

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Amount before accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of accumulated impairment loss for an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of increase (decrease) from adjustments after acquisition date under purchase accounting of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (g)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 16

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34752592&loc=d3e961-128460

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount of increase (decrease) from foreign currency translation adjustments of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of divestiture of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance and having a projected indefinite period of benefit.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275

Name:	us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Name:	us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwillAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Number of reporting units tested for impairment of goodwill. A reporting unit is an operating segment or one level below an operating segment.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Reporting Unit

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6523643

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfReportingUnits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=irm_InternationalBusinessMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=irm_NorthAmericanDataManagementBusinessMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=irm_NorthAmericanRecordsAndInformationManagementBusinessMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=irm_OtherInternationalBusinessMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=irm_WesternEuropeanBusinessMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_SubsegmentsAxis=irm_EmergingMarketsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_SubsegmentsAxis=irm_NorthAmericanBusinessMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_SubsegmentsAxis=irm_WesternEuropeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_SubsegmentsAxis=us-gaap_AsiaPacificMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: