Special (Gains) and Charges (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Special (gains) and charges
Venezuela currency devaluation	$ 23.4
Subtotal	49.7	41.4
Total special (gains) and charges	53.4	131.1
Cost of sales
Special (gains) and charges
Restructuring charges	2.0	2.1
Subtotal	2.0	76.0
Cost of sales \| Nalco Holding Company ("Nalco")
Special (gains) and charges
Acquisition costs		73.9
Special (gains) and charges
Special (gains) and charges
Restructuring charges	18.5	26.5
Venezuela currency devaluation	23.4
Litigation related charges and other	(3.8)
Subtotal	49.7	41.4
Special (gains) and charges \| Nalco Holding Company ("Nalco")
Special (gains) and charges
Acquisition costs	3.8	14.9
Special (gains) and charges \| Champion
Special (gains) and charges
Acquisition costs	7.8
Interest expense, net
Special (gains) and charges
Debt extinguishment costs		18.2
Acquisition costs	2.2
Subtotal	2.2	18.2
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest
Special (gains) and charges
Venezuela currency devaluation	(0.5)
Subtotal	(0.5)	(4.5)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest \| Nalco Holding Company ("Nalco")
Special (gains) and charges
Acquisition costs		(4.5)
Operating income subtotal
Special (gains) and charges
Subtotal	$ 51.7	$ 117.4

This element represents the foreign currency transaction gain or loss incurred during the reporting period.

No definition available.

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Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Represents the amount of litigation related charges and other items recorded in special gains and charges in the statement of operations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Special gains and charges includes items that are unusual in nature, significant in amount and important to an understanding of underlying business performance.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Details

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- Definition

This element represents acquisition-related costs incurred to effect a business combination which costs have been expensed during the period. Such costs include finder's fees; advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other professional or consulting fees; general administrative costs, including the costs of maintaining an internal acquisitions department; and may include costs of registering and issuing debt and equity securities.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 23

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 141R

-Paragraph 59

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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- Definition

The difference between the reacquisition price and the net carrying amount of the extinguished debt recognized currently as a component of income in the period of extinguishment, net of tax.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 145

-Paragraph A5

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-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 26

-Paragraph 20

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 470

-SubTopic 50

-Section 40

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- Definition

The aggregate amount of other nonrecurring expenses, not previously categorized, that are infrequent in occurrence or unusual in nature.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6365513&loc=d3e15122-107781

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- Definition

Amount charged against earnings in the period for incurred and estimated costs associated with exit from or disposal of business activities or restructurings pursuant to a duly authorized plan, excluding asset retirement obligations.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 420

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 5.P.3)

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 5

-Section P

-Subsection 3, 4

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