Guarantor Financial Information - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Sales	$ 577	$ 534	$ 1,691	$ 1,537
Cost of sales	376	337	1,088	957
Gross profit	201	197	603	580
Selling, general and administrative expenses	110	102	328	294
Legacy and separation-related expenses, net	(3)	13	14	25
Equity and other (income) expenses	(8)	(5)	(29)	(20)
Operating income	102	87	290	281
Net pension and other postretirement plan non-service income and remeasurement adjustments	(10)	(17)	(30)	(60)
Net interest and other financing expenses	15	10	45	28
(Loss) income before income taxes	97	94	275	313
Income tax expense	33	38	154	114
Equity in net income of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	64	56	121	199
Comprehensive income	48	60	105	196
Eliminations
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Sales	(16)	(15)	(41)	(42)
Cost of sales	(16)	(15)	(41)	(42)
Gross profit	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Legacy and separation-related expenses, net	0	0	0	0
Equity and other (income) expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Net pension and other postretirement plan non-service income and remeasurement adjustments	0	0	0	0
Net interest and other financing expenses	0	0	0	0
(Loss) income before income taxes	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Equity in net income of subsidiaries	83	72	215	238
Net income	(83)	(72)	(215)	(238)
Comprehensive income	(56)	(86)	(191)	(243)
Valvoline Inc. (Parent Issuer) | Reportable Legal Entities
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Sales	0	0	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Gross profit	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	3	3	10	7
Legacy and separation-related expenses, net	(3)	(2)	4	(2)
Equity and other (income) expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	0	(1)	(14)	(5)
Net pension and other postretirement plan non-service income and remeasurement adjustments	0	0	0	0
Net interest and other financing expenses	14	8	39	25
(Loss) income before income taxes	(14)	(9)	(53)	(30)
Income tax expense	(1)	(2)	16	(10)
Equity in net income of subsidiaries	(77)	(63)	(190)	(219)
Net income	64	56	121	199
Comprehensive income	48	60	105	196
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Sales	456	418	1,319	1,197
Cost of sales	294	259	832	724
Gross profit	162	159	487	473
Selling, general and administrative expenses	81	77	247	218
Legacy and separation-related expenses, net	0	15	10	27
Equity and other (income) expenses	(11)	(8)	(37)	(29)
Operating income	92	75	267	257
Net pension and other postretirement plan non-service income and remeasurement adjustments	(10)	(17)	(30)	(60)
Net interest and other financing expenses	1	1	4	2
(Loss) income before income taxes	101	91	293	315
Income tax expense	30	37	128	115
Equity in net income of subsidiaries	(6)	(9)	(25)	(19)
Net income	77	63	190	219
Comprehensive income	61	67	174	216
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Sales	137	131	413	382
Cost of sales	98	93	297	275
Gross profit	39	38	116	107
Selling, general and administrative expenses	26	22	71	69
Legacy and separation-related expenses, net	0	0	0	0
Equity and other (income) expenses	3	3	8	9
Operating income	10	13	37	29
Net pension and other postretirement plan non-service income and remeasurement adjustments	0	0	0	0
Net interest and other financing expenses	0	1	2	1
(Loss) income before income taxes	10	12	35	28
Income tax expense	4	3	10	9
Equity in net income of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	6	9	25	19
Comprehensive income	$ (5)	$ 19	$ 17	$ 27