Income Taxes (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2008
Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Continuing Operations [Abstract]
Income tax (benefit) expense	$ 436,000,000	$ 64,000,000	$ 61,000,000
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate	35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Befiex Tax Credits Effect On Net Sales	266,000,000	225,000,000	69,000,000
BEFIEX Tax Credits, Export Credits Remaining	238,000,000
BEFIEX Court awarded fees	60,000,000
BEFIEX Monetization Reduction	62,000,000
UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositionsTransferPricingAndExportProfits	43,000,000
Distribution of Foreign Earnings	174,000,000
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Undistributed Foreign Earnings	3,000,000,000
Whirlpool worldwide NOL carryforward	3,000,000,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Domestic	1,400,000,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Not Subject to Expiration	1,100,000,000
Foreign tax credit carryforwards	212,000,000	175,000,000
U.S. general business credit carryforwards, including Energy Tax Credits	934,000,000	555,000,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance	208,000,000	193,000,000
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Valuation Allowance	195,000,000
Other Tax Carryforward, Valuation Allowance	13,000,000
Unrecognized tax benefit resulting from litigatoin	7,000,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits	178,000,000	190,000,000	157,000,000	43,000,000	119,000,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Expense	$ 78,000,000	$ 66,000,000