Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Quarterly financial data (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 3,892	$ 3,974	$ 3,826	$ 3,762	$ 3,721	$ 3,867	$ 3,845	$ 3,762	$ 15,454	$ 15,195	$ 16,034
Gross profit	2,328	2,383	2,300	2,269	2,247	2,324	2,304	2,248	9,280	9,123	9,399
Net income including noncontrolling interests	353	650	560	611	628	746	638	574	2,174	2,586	1,548
Net income attributable to Colgate-Palmolive Company	$ 323	$ 607	$ 524	$ 570	$ 606	$ 702	$ 600	$ 533	$ 2,024	$ 2,441	$ 1,384
Earnings (loss) per common share:
Basic EPS (in dollars per share)	$ 0.37	$ 0.69	$ 0.59	$ 0.64	$ 0.68	$ 0.79	$ 0.67	$ 0.60	$ 2.30	$ 2.74	$ 1.53
Diluted EPS (in dollars per share)	$ 0.37	$ 0.68	$ 0.59	$ 0.64	$ 0.68	$ 0.78	$ 0.67	$ 0.59	$ 2.28	$ 2.72	$ 1.52
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Total Global Growth and Efficiency Program charges, pretax									$ 169	$ 105	$ 170
Charge for U.S. tax reform	$ 275								275	0	0
Aftertax charges for litigation matters					$ 7	$ 4				11
Benefit from tax matters						22	$ 13			35
CP Venezuela
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Income tax benefit, principally related to changes in Venezuela foreign currency regime								$ 210
Foreign earnings repatriated								1,500		1,500
Tax charge resulting from repatriation of earnings of foreign subsidiaries								210
MEXICO
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Aftertax gain on sale of land in Mexico						63				63
Global Growth and Efficiency Program
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Total Global Growth and Efficiency Program charges, pretax									333	228	254
Total Global Growth and Efficiency Program charges, aftertax	61	$ 39	$ 115	$ 31	54	32	44	38	246	168	183
Total Global Growth and Efficiency Program charges, including noncontrolling interest, aftertax							45			169
Global Growth and Efficiency Program | Gross Profit
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Total Global Growth and Efficiency Program charges, pretax	$ 24	$ 16	$ 21	$ 14	$ 15	$ 11	$ 12	$ 8	$ 75	$ 46	$ 20