CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME
Net sales	$ 3,484.0	$ 3,023.3	$ 9,693.9	$ 8,792.9
Cost of sales (including special charges of $6.3 and $23.5 for three months and nine months ended 2013 and $3.2 and $82.3 for three months and nine months ended 2012)	1,882.8	1,616.4	5,276.3	4,839.3
Selling, general and administrative expenses	1,097.4	977.7	3,176.5	2,949.1
Special (gains) and charges	27.8	28.0	151.1	111.0
Operating income	476.0	401.2	1,090.0	893.5
Interest expense, net (including special charges of $2.5 for nine months ended 2013 and $18.2 for nine months ended 2012)	67.0	64.2	194.7	214.2
Income before income taxes	409.0	337.0	895.3	679.3
Provision for income taxes	101.8	97.7	211.3	212.5
Net income including noncontrolling interest	307.2	239.3	684.0	466.8
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest (including special charges of $0.5 for the nine months ended 2013 and $4.5 for the nine months ended 2012)	(0.8)	1.3	3.3	(5.4)
Net income attributable to Ecolab	$ 308.0	$ 238.0	$ 680.7	$ 472.2
Earnings attributable to Ecolab per common share
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 1.02	$ 0.81	$ 2.27	$ 1.62
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 1.00	$ 0.80	$ 2.23	$ 1.58
Dividends declared per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.2300	$ 0.2000	$ 0.6900	$ 0.6000
Weighted-average common shares outstanding
Basic (in shares)	301.2	292.7	299.4	292.0
Diluted (in shares)	307.2	298.6	305.3	298.3