The aftertax loss related to the remeasurement of certain local balance sheet items for which the exchange rate for essential goods will no longer be received.

Name:	cl_AftertaxLossRelatedToRemeasurement
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- Definition

Represents the charge for the premium paid to acquire U.S. dollar-denominated bonds at the parallel market rate in Venezuela, as a result of the change in reporting currency of CP Venezuela to the U.S. dollar.

+ Details

Name:	cl_ChargeForPremiumPaidToAcquireUsDollarDenominatedBonds
Namespace Prefix:	cl
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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the charge for the premium paid to acquire U.S. dollar-denominated cash at the parallel market rate in Venezuela, as a result of the change in reporting currency of CP Venezuela to the U.S. dollar.

+ Details

Name:	cl_ChargeForPremiumPaidToAcquireUsDollarDenominatedCash
Namespace Prefix:	cl
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the benefit on U.S. dollar-denominated payables paid at the parallel market rate in Venezuela, as a result of the change in reporting currency of CP Venezuela to the U.S. dollar.

+ Details

Name:	cl_GainForPremiumPaidOnUsDollarDenominatedPayables
Namespace Prefix:	cl
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Notes to Financial Statements

+ Details

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- Definition

Official Venezuela exchange rate prior to the devaluation on January 8, 2010.

+ Details

Name:	cl_OfficialCurrencyExchangeRateForVenezuelaPriorToDevaluation
Namespace Prefix:	cl
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The official currency exchange rate in Venezuela for essential goods abolished effective January 1, 2011.

+ Details

Name:	cl_OfficialExchangeRateInVenezuelaForEssentialGoodsAbolished
Namespace Prefix:	cl
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
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- Definition

The official currency exchange rate in Venezuela for essential goods beginning January 8, 2010.

+ Details

Name:	cl_OfficialExchangeRateInVenezuelaForEssentialGoodsSubsequentToDevaluation
Namespace Prefix:	cl
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
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- Definition

The official currency exchange rate in Venezuela for non-essential goods beginning January 8, 2010.

+ Details

Name:	cl_OfficialExchangeRateInVenezuelaForNonEssentialGoodsSubsequentToDevaluation
Namespace Prefix:	cl
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
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- Definition

Represents the one-time after tax gain related to the remeasurement of the local balance sheet and lower taxes on accrued but unpaid remittances from Venezuela, as a result of the Venezuela currency devaluation.

+ Details

Name:	cl_OneTimeCurrencyDevaluationGainAfterTax
Namespace Prefix:	cl
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the one-time pre-tax gain recorded in Other (income) expense related to the remeasurement of the local balance sheet as a result of the Venezuela currency devaluation.

+ Details

Name:	cl_OneTimeCurrencyDevaluationGainPretax
Namespace Prefix:	cl
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents CP Venezuela's percentage of the Company's consolidated Net sales.

+ Details

Name:	cl_PercentageOfConsolidatedNetSalesRepresentedByVenezuelaSubsidiary
Namespace Prefix:	cl
Data Type:	us-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Venezuela hyperinflationary transition charge.

+ Details

Name:	cl_VenezuelaHyperinflationaryTransitionCharge
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents CP Venezuela's bolivar fuerte-denominated monetary net asset position as of the balance sheet date.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	cl
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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total of debt securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading which are intended be sold or mature more than one year from the balance sheet date or operating cycle, if longer. Such securities are reported at fair value; unrealized gains and losses of such securities are excluded from earnings and included in other comprehensive income, a separate component of shareholders' equity, unless the Available-for-sale Security is designated as a hedge or is determined to have had an other than temporary decline in fair value below its amortized cost basis. All or a portion of the unrealized holding gain or loss of an Available-for-sale Security that is designated as being hedged in a fair value hedge shall be recognized in earnings during the period of the hedge, as should other than temporary declines in fair value below costs basis.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 133

-Paragraph 22

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 17

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 12

-Subparagraph b

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 13

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 16

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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- 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.

+ Details

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Venezuela (Details) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
Venezuela (Details) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2010 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2010 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2011	Jan. 08, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011 US Dollar-Linked, Devaluation-Protected Bonds Issued By Venezuelan Government [Member] USD ($)
Notes to Financial Statements [Abstract]
Venezuela hyperinflationary transition charge	$ 271	$ 0	$ 271
Charge for the premium paid to acquire USD cash	(150)
Charge for the premium paid to acquire USD cash	(152)
Gain for the premium paid on USD payables	31
Official currency exchange rate for Venezuela prior to devaluation						2.15
Official currency exchange rate in Venezuela for essential goods beginning January 8, 2010						2.60
Official currency exchange rate in Venezuela for non-essential goods beginning January 8, 2010						4.30
One-time pretax gain due to Venezuela currency devaluation			46
One-time aftertax gain due to currency devaluation			59
Official currency exchange rate in Venezuela for essential goods abolished effective January 1, 2011					2.60
Aftertax loss related to remeasurement				36
Percentage of consolidated Net sales represented by CP Venezuela (in hundredths)		5.00%
CP Venezuela's bolivar fuerte-denominated monetary net asset position		277
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair value							$ 233