Number of Product Segments

No definition available.

Name:	cl_NumberOfProductSegments
Namespace Prefix:	cl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of Consolidated Net Sales coming from Emerging Markets

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cl_PercentageOfConsolidatedNetSalesComingFromEmergingMarkets
Namespace Prefix:	cl_
Data Type:	dtr-types1:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of Consolidated Net Sales represented by Sales outside US

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cl_PercentageOfConsolidatedNetSalesRepresentedBySalesOutsideUS
Namespace Prefix:	cl_
Data Type:	dtr-types1:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of operating segments. An operating segment is a component of an enterprise: (a) that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses (including revenues and expenses relating to transactions with other components of the same enterprise), (b) whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise's chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and (c) for which discrete financial information is available. An operating segment may engage in business activities for which it has yet to earn revenues, for example, start-up operations may be operating segments before earning revenues.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 18
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482810/280-10-50-18

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after cash payment, of expenses associated with exit or disposal activities pursuant to an authorized plan. Excludes expenses related to a discontinued operation or an asset retirement obligation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-SubTopic 10
-Topic 230
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482740/230-10-45-28

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_CorporateNonSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLossMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringPlanAxis=cl_ProductRecallCostMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringPlanAxis=cl_GlobalProductivityInitiativeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis=us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Segment Information - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
Segment Information - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2023 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2022 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2023 USD ($) segment	Jun. 30, 2022 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of product segments (in segments) \| segment			2
Number of operating segments (in segments) \| segment			5
Corporate \| Included in Operating profit (loss) \| Product Recall Cost
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring costs \| $			$ 25
Corporate \| Included in Operating profit (loss) \| Global Productivity Initiative
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring costs \| $	$ 18	$ 13	$ 23	$ 76
Net Sales
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of consolidated Net sales coming from emerging markets	45.00%		45.00%
Percentage of consolidated Net sales represented by sales outside US	66.67%		66.67%