Represents the number of operating segments aggregated for classification as reportable segments.

No definition available.

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- Definition

The number of product classes that meet the threshold percentage for disclosure of product sales relative to consolidated net sales.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Threshold percentage which the entity uses for disclosure.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

For an entity that discloses a concentration risk in relation to quantitative amount, which serves as the "benchmark" (or denominator) in the equation, this concept represents the concentration percentage derived from the division.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 275
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 18
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64851502&loc=d3e6351-108592

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section 50
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Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 275
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-Section 50
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Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-Section 50
-Paragraph 21
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73719730&loc=d3e13537-108611

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Foreign exchange rate used to translate amounts denominated in functional currency to reporting currency.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 30
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6897108&loc=SL6897125-166521

+ Details

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- Definition

Number of operating segments. An operating segment is a component of an enterprise: (a) that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses (including revenues and expenses relating to transactions with other components of the same enterprise), (b) whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise's chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and (c) for which discrete financial information is available. An operating segment may engage in business activities for which it has yet to earn revenues, for example, start-up operations may be operating segments before earning revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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- Details

Name:	ecl_CurrencyExchangeMechanismAxis=ecl_MarginalCurrencySystemMember
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Data Type:	na
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Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis=us-gaap_ProductConcentrationRiskMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis=ecl_SalesRevenueTotalMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=ecl_WarewashingProductsMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis=us-gaap_ScenarioPreviouslyReportedMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ecl_OtherReportableSegmentMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ecl_GlobalInstitutionalMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ecl_GlobalEnergyMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_MaterialReconcilingItemsMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_CorporateNonSegmentMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

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OPERATING SEGMENTS AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) segment	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) class
Financial information of reportable segments
Number of operating segments aggregated for classification as reportable segments \| segment									8
Number of operating units \| segment									10
Number of reportable segments \| segment									3
Net sales	$ 3,352.1	$ 3,386.1	$ 3,317.2	$ 3,097.4	$ 3,412.0	$ 3,446.4	$ 3,389.1	$ 3,297.6	$ 13,152.8	$ 13,545.1	$ 14,280.5
Operating Income (Loss)	$ 556.9	$ 574.1	$ 412.5	$ 371.5	$ 322.8	$ 413.0	$ 437.8	$ 387.7	$ 1,915.0	$ 1,561.3	$ 1,955.0
VENEZUELA
Financial information of reportable segments
Exchange rate					200					200
SIMADI \| VENEZUELA
Financial information of reportable segments
Exchange rate					200					200	200
Product concentration \| Consolidated net sales
Financial information of reportable segments
Number of product classes comprising 10% or more of consolidated net sales \| class											0
Threshold percentage of product sales to consolidated net sales											10.00%
Warewashing Products \| Product concentration \| Consolidated net sales
Financial information of reportable segments
Percentage of consolidated sales									11.00%	10.00%
Previously Reported \| VENEZUELA
Financial information of reportable segments
Exchange rate					6.3					6.3
Other
Financial information of reportable segments
Number of operating units \| segment									2
Operating segment
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales									$ 12,955.0	$ 12,914.3	$ 12,765.7
Operating Income (Loss)									1,882.8	1,432.2	1,703.7
Operating segment \| Global Industrial
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales									4,617.1	4,485.5	4,261.9
Operating Income (Loss)									703.0	626.4	538.8
Operating segment \| Global Institutional
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales									4,495.6	4,210.9	3,982.8
Operating Income (Loss)									966.7	876.6	772.6
Operating segment \| Global Energy
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales									3,035.8	3,470.8	3,815.8
Operating Income (Loss)									337.1	465.5	534.8
Operating segment \| Other
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales									806.5	747.1	705.2
Operating Income (Loss)									148.1	127.5	109.9
Currency Impact
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales									197.8	630.8	1,514.8
Operating Income (Loss)									32.2	129.1	251.3
Corporate
Financial information of reportable segments
Operating Income (Loss)									(272.1)	(663.8)	(252.4)
Intersegment
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales									$ 0.0	$ 0.0	$ 0.0