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DEBT AND INTEREST (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
item
Dec. 31, 2013
Components of the company's debt obligations    
Long-term debt, current maturities $ 755,500,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligationsCurrent $ 505,300,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligationsCurrent
Short-term debt including current maturities of long-term debt 1,705,400,000us-gaap_DebtCurrent 861,000,000us-gaap_DebtCurrent
Commercial paper.    
Components of the company's debt obligations    
Short-term debt 887,800,000us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialPaperMember
304,800,000us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialPaperMember
Number of commercial paper programs 2ecl_LineOfCreditFacilityCommercialPaperNumber
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialPaperMember
 
Combined maximum borrowing capacity, commercial paper 2,000,000,000ecl_CommercialPaperMaximumBorrowingCapacityCombined
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialPaperMember
 
Average interest rate (as a percent) 0.46%us-gaap_ShortTermDebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialPaperMember
0.34%us-gaap_ShortTermDebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialPaperMember
U.S. commercial paper program    
Components of the company's debt obligations    
Maximum borrowing capacity, commercial paper before expiration 1,500,000,000ecl_CommercialPaperMaximumBorrowingCapacityBeforeExpiration
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= ecl_USCommercialPaperProgramMember
 
Maximum borrowing capacity, commercial paper 2,000,000,000ecl_CommercialPaperMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= ecl_USCommercialPaperProgramMember
 
Outstanding commercial paper 888,000,000us-gaap_CommercialPaper
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= ecl_USCommercialPaperProgramMember
305,000,000us-gaap_CommercialPaper
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= ecl_USCommercialPaperProgramMember
European commercial paper    
Components of the company's debt obligations    
Maximum borrowing capacity, commercial paper 200,000,000ecl_CommercialPaperMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= ecl_EuropeanCommercialPaperMember
 
Outstanding commercial paper 0us-gaap_CommercialPaper
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= ecl_EuropeanCommercialPaperMember
0us-gaap_CommercialPaper
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= ecl_EuropeanCommercialPaperMember
Notes payable    
Components of the company's debt obligations    
Short-term debt 62,100,000us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_NotesPayableOtherPayablesMember
50,900,000us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_NotesPayableOtherPayablesMember
Average interest rate (as a percent) 9.65%us-gaap_ShortTermDebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_NotesPayableOtherPayablesMember
9.43%us-gaap_ShortTermDebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_NotesPayableOtherPayablesMember
Credit facility    
Components of the company's debt obligations    
Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit agreement before amendment 1,500,000,000ecl_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacityBeforeAmendment
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= ecl_LineOfCreditSeptember2016Member
 
Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit agreement $ 2,000,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= ecl_LineOfCreditSeptember2016Member