CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($) Dividend $ / shares	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($) Dividend $ / shares
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales		$ 4,002	$ 3,762	[1]
Cost of sales		1,594	1,493	[1]
Gross profit		2,408	2,269	[1]
Selling, general and administrative expenses		1,392	1,336	[1]
Other (income) expense, net		33	21	[1]
Operating profit		983	912	[1]
Non-service related postretirement costs		24	27	[1]
Interest (income) expense, net		35	23	[1]
Income before income taxes		924	862	[1]
Provision for income taxes		246	251	[1]
Net income including noncontrolling interests		678	611	[1]
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		44	41	[1]
Net income attributable to Colgate-Palmolive Company		$ 634	$ 570	[1]
Earnings per common share, basic (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.72	$ 0.64	[1]
Earnings per common share, diluted (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		0.72	0.64	[1]
Dividends declared per common share (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	[2]	$ 0.82	$ 0.79	[1]
Number of dividends declared per quarter (in dividends) | Dividend		2	2

[1] Prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation as a result of the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2017-07, “Compensation-Retirement Benefits (Topic 715): Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost.” For further information regarding the impact of the reclassification, see Note 1, Basis of Presentation, Note 3, Recent Accounting Pronouncements and Updated Accounting Policies and Note 13, Segment Information to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

[2] Two dividends were declared in the first quarter of 2018 and 2017.