Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Earnings Per Share Reconciliation [Abstract]
Net income attributable to Colgate-Palmolive Company, Basic	$ 574	$ 622	$ 1,116	$ 1,010
Net income attributable to Colgate-Palmolive Company, Diluted	$ 574	$ 622	$ 1,116	$ 1,010
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted [Abstract]
Basic EPS (in shares)	904,600,000	916,100,000	906,100,000	917,800,000
Stock options and restricted stock (in shares)	7,800,000	9,800,000	8,300,000	9,500,000
Diluted EPS (in shares)	912,400,000	925,900,000	914,400,000	927,300,000
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Abstract]
Earnings Per Share, Basic	$ 0.63	$ 0.68	$ 1.23	$ 1.10
Earnings Per Share, Diluted	$ 0.63	$ 0.67	$ 1.22	$ 1.09
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount	1,571,872	48,362	1,573,532	36,266