Guarantor Financial Information - Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018
Assets, Current [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 774		$ 159	$ 114
Accounts receivable, net	352		401
Inventories, net	209		194
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	49		43
Total current assets	1,384		797
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	509		498
Operating lease assets	254		0
Goodwill and intangibles, net	503		504
Equity method investments	37		34
Investment in subsidiaries	0		0
Deferred income taxes	99		123
Other noncurrent assets	131		108
Total noncurrent assets	1,533		1,267
Total assets	2,917		2,064
Current liabilities
Current portion of long-term debt	0		15
Trade and other payables	186		171
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	215		237
Total current liabilities	401		423
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	2,003		1,327
Employee benefit obligations	361		387
Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent	226		0
Other noncurrent liabilities	163		185
Total noncurrent liabilities	2,753		1,899
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(237)	$ (196)	(258)	$ (298)	$ (343)	$ (358)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ deficit	2,917		2,064
Present value of lease liabilities	256
Eliminations
Assets, Current [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Accounts receivable, net	(141)		(118)
Inventories, net	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0		0
Total current assets	(141)		(118)
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	0		0
Operating lease assets	0
Goodwill and intangibles, net	0		0
Equity method investments	0		0
Investment in subsidiaries	(2,263)		(1,703)
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other noncurrent assets	0		0
Total noncurrent assets	(2,263)		(1,703)
Total assets	(2,404)		(1,821)
Current liabilities
Current portion of long-term debt			0
Trade and other payables	(141)		(118)
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	(141)		(118)
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	0		0
Employee benefit obligations	0		0
Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	0		0
Total noncurrent liabilities	0		0
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(2,263)		(1,703)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ deficit	(2,404)		(1,821)
Valvoline Inc. (Parent Issuer) | Reportable Legal Entities
Assets, Current [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Accounts receivable, net	0		0
Inventories, net	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0		0
Total current assets	0		0
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	0		0
Operating lease assets	0
Goodwill and intangibles, net	0		0
Equity method investments	0		0
Investment in subsidiaries	1,770		1,157
Deferred income taxes	63		48
Other noncurrent assets	2		3
Total noncurrent assets	1,835		1,208
Total assets	1,835		1,208
Current liabilities
Current portion of long-term debt			15
Trade and other payables	118		80
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	13		9
Total current liabilities	131		104
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	1,912		1,326
Employee benefit obligations	0		0
Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	29		36
Total noncurrent liabilities	1,941		1,362
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	(237)		(258)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ deficit	1,835		1,208
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Assets, Current [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	625		59
Accounts receivable, net	212		181
Inventories, net	119		110
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	39		35
Total current assets	995		385
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	432		431
Operating lease assets	215
Goodwill and intangibles, net	427		423
Equity method investments	37
Investment in subsidiaries	493		546
Deferred income taxes	22		61
Other noncurrent assets	117		96
Total noncurrent assets	1,743		1,591
Total assets	2,738		1,976
Current liabilities
Current portion of long-term debt			0
Trade and other payables	128		127
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	162		175
Total current liabilities	290		302
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	1		1
Employee benefit obligations	345		369
Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent	199
Other noncurrent liabilities	133		147
Total noncurrent liabilities	678		517
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	1,770		1,157
Total liabilities and stockholders’ deficit	2,738		1,976
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Assets, Current [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	149		100
Accounts receivable, net	281		338
Inventories, net	90		84
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	10		8
Total current assets	530		530
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	77		67
Operating lease assets	39
Goodwill and intangibles, net	76		81
Equity method investments	0		0
Investment in subsidiaries	0		0
Deferred income taxes	14		14
Other noncurrent assets	12		9
Total noncurrent assets	218		171
Total assets	748		701
Current liabilities
Current portion of long-term debt			0
Trade and other payables	81		82
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	40		53
Total current liabilities	121		135
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	90		0
Employee benefit obligations	16		18
Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent	27
Other noncurrent liabilities	1		2
Total noncurrent liabilities	134		20
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity	493		546
Total liabilities and stockholders’ deficit	$ 748		$ 701