Pension plans and other postretirement benefits (Details) (USD $) In Millions	9 Months Ended					3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011 Household Products [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Household Products [Member] Employee Severance [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Facility Closing [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 American Safety Razor [Member]	Nov. 23, 2010 American Safety Razor [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Jun. 30, 2010 Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Jun. 30, 2010 Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Jun. 30, 2010 Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Jun. 30, 2010 Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Projected Benefit Obligation (Asset)				$ 122.6	$ 216.0
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets Assumed in Acquisition					92
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost [Abstract]
Service cost						7.2	8.3	21.6	24.7	0.1	0.2	0.4	0.4
Interest cost						14.3	12.6	41.3	37.9	0.7	0.6	2.0	1.8
Expected return on plan assets						(16.1)	(15.7)	(46.9)	(46.6)	0	(0.1)	0	(0.1)
Amortization of prior service cost						0	(1.5)	0.1	(4.5)	(0.7)	(0.6)	(2.0)	(2.0)
Amortization of unrecognized net loss						(1.4)	1.9	(4.2)	5.9	(0.4)	(0.4)	(1.0)	(1.1)
Amortization of transition obligation						3.7	0	11.0	0.1
Special termination costs						0	0	9.5	0
Settlement change						1.5	0	1.5	0
Curtailment charge						0.8	0	0.8	0
Net periodic benefit cost						10.0	5.6	34.7	17.5	(0.3)	(0.3)	(0.6)	(1.0)
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense	59.6	34.1
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			$ 6.0