Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments - Schedule of Gain (Loss) Included in OCI (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Cash flow hedges [Abstract]
Gain (loss) recognized in OCI	$ (2)
Gain (loss) recognized in OCI		$ (8)
Foreign Currency Contracts
Cash flow hedges [Abstract]
Gain (loss) recognized in OCI	(3)
Gain (loss) recognized in OCI		(8)
Net investment hedges [Abstract]
Gain (loss) on instruments	6
Gain (loss) on instruments		(18)
Gain (loss) on hedged items	(6)
Gain (loss) on hedged items		18
Commodity Contracts
Cash flow hedges [Abstract]
Gain (loss) recognized in OCI	1
Gain (loss) recognized in OCI		0
Foreign Currency Debt
Net investment hedges [Abstract]
Gain (loss) on instruments	29
Gain (loss) on instruments		(19)
Gain (loss) on hedged items	$ (29)
Gain (loss) on hedged items		$ 19

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Hedged Item In Net Investment Hedge, Gain (Loss), Before Reclassification and Tax

No definition available.

Name:	cl_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossHedgedItemInNetInvestmentHedgeGainLossBeforeReclassificationandTax
Namespace Prefix:	cl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) On Derivatives Arising During Period, Hedged Item In Net Investment Hedge, Before Tax

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cl_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossUnrealizedGainLossOnDerivativesArisingDuringPeriodHedgedItemInNetInvestmentHedgeBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	cl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) On Derivatives Arising During Period, Net Investment Hedge, Before Tax

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cl_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossUnrealizedGainLossOnDerivativesArisingDuringPeriodNetInvestmentHedgeBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	cl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectOfCashFlowHedgesOnResultsOfOperationsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before tax and reclassification, of gain (loss) from derivative instrument designated and qualifying cash flow hedge included in assessment of hedge effectiveness.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109974929&loc=SL110061190-113977

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4A
-Subparagraph (b)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5618551-113959

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5624171-113959

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=d3e637-108580

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=SL7669646-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCashFlowHedgeGainLossBeforeReclassificationAndTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before tax and reclassification, of gain (loss) from derivative designated and qualifying as net investment hedge.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4CCC
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL109998896-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetInvestmentHedgeGainLossBeforeReclassificationAndTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount before tax of increase (decrease) in accumulated gain (loss) from derivative instruments designated and qualifying as the effective portion of cash flow hedges and an entity's share of an equity investee's increase (decrease) in deferred hedging gain (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=d3e637-108580

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109978405&loc=d3e80720-113993

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=SL7669646-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedGainLossOnDerivativesArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SummaryOfNetInvestmentHedgeActivityAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_DebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: