Special (Gains) and Charges (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	36 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	36 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	36 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014 Champion	Mar. 31, 2013 Champion	Dec. 31, 2012 Champion	Mar. 31, 2014 Nalco	Mar. 31, 2013 Nalco	Mar. 31, 2014 Energy Restructuring Plan item	Dec. 31, 2013 Energy Restructuring Plan	Mar. 31, 2014 Energy Restructuring Plan Employee termination costs	Dec. 31, 2013 Energy Restructuring Plan Employee termination costs	Dec. 31, 2013 Energy Restructuring Plan Asset disposals	Mar. 31, 2014 Energy Restructuring Plan Other	Dec. 31, 2013 Energy Restructuring Plan Other	Mar. 31, 2014 Combined Plan	Mar. 31, 2013 Combined Plan	Dec. 31, 2013 Combined Plan	Dec. 31, 2013 Combined Plan	Mar. 31, 2014 Combined Plan Employee termination costs	Dec. 31, 2013 Combined Plan Employee termination costs	Dec. 31, 2013 Combined Plan Asset disposals	Mar. 31, 2014 Combined Plan Other	Dec. 31, 2013 Combined Plan Other
Other restructuring information
Number of positions expected to be eliminated									500
Restructuring charge expected to be incurred, pretax									$ 80
Restructuring charge expected to be incurred, after tax									55
Expected restructuring charges for 2014									35							50
Expected restructuring charges for 2014, after tax									25							40
Restructuring charges, expected cash expenditures									60
Restructuring charge incurred, pretax									4.9	27.0						23.7	20.8	64.0
Restructuring charges, after tax									3.0	19.0
Period over which the entity expects to pay the restructuring charges									12 months
Restructuring charge incurred, after tax																19.8	14.3	48.0
Restructuring reserve
Recorded expense and accrual									4.9	27.4	4.4	22.9	3.6	0.5	0.9	23.7			277.7	21.2	248.2	(1.2)	2.5	30.7
Net cash payments									(4.2)	(17.5)	(3.7)	(16.7)		(0.5)	(0.8)	(21.7)			(192.2)	(19.5)	(182.2)	9.1	(2.2)	(19.1)
Non-cash charges										(3.6)			(3.6)						(12.2)			(7.9)		(4.3)
Effect of foreign currency translation										0.6		0.6				0.5			(0.1)	0.5	(0.1)
Restructuring liability		72.4	68.3						7.6	6.9	7.5	6.8		0.1	0.1	75.7		73.2	73.2	68.1	65.9		7.6	7.3
Non-restructuring Special (Gains) and Charges
Business combination and integration related costs, pre tax				6.5	10.0		1.3	3.8
Business combination and integration related costs, after tax				4.1	7.1		0.9	2.7
Aggregate principal amount						500
Foreign currency translation charges associated with remeasurement, before tax	22.9
Foreign currency translation charges associated with remeasurement, after tax	$ 15.0