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.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 18
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8672-108599

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- 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

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 31
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8924-108599

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 30
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8906-108599

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 32
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8933-108599

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 32
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8933-108599

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 22
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8736-108599

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 30
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8906-108599

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 40
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e9031-108599

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 41
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e9038-108599

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 32
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8933-108599

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 32
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8933-108599

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123351226&loc=SL49130543-203045

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8736-108599

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e8736-108599

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 42
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123359005&loc=d3e9054-108599

Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123351226&loc=SL49130545-203045

Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 924
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 11.L)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6472922&loc=d3e499488-122856

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_RestatementAxis=srt_ScenarioPreviouslyReportedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ecl_ComparabilityAdjustmentsAxis=ecl_ManagementRates2021Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ecl_ComparabilityAdjustmentsAxis=ecl_ValuedAt2022ManagementRatesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ecl_GlobalIndustrialMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ecl_GlobalInstitutionalMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ecl_GlobalHealthcareAndLifeSciencesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ecl_OtherReportableSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RestatementAxis=us-gaap_ScenarioAdjustmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ecl_ComparabilityAdjustmentsAxis=ecl_ComparabilityAdjustmentsForChangesInForeignCurrencyTranslationRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ecl_ComparabilityAdjustmentsAxis=ecl_ComparabilityAdjustmentsForSegmentChangesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_MaterialReconcilingItemsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_CorporateNonSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

OPERATING SEGMENTS (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
OPERATING SEGMENTS (Details) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2022 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2021 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2022 USD ($) item segment	Jun. 30, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)
Financial information of reportable segments
Number of operating units \| segment			11
Number of reportable segments \| item			3
Net sales	$ 3,580.6	$ 3,162.7	$ 6,847.3	$ 6,047.7
Operating Income (Loss)	425.8	447.8	680.3	745.1
Previously Reported \| Valued at 2021 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					$ 12,733.1
Operating Income (Loss)					1,598.6
Previously Reported \| Valued at 2022 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					12,733.1
Operating Income (Loss)					1,598.6
Global Industrial
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales	1,689.9	1,544.5	3,255.6	2,975.5
Global Institutional and Specialty
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales	1,127.2	976.0	2,134.2	1,833.4
Global Healthcare and Life Sciences
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales	390.9	301.8	753.7	594.5
Other
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales	338.7	305.5	635.1	576.2
Operating segment
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales	3,616.2	3,092.6	6,871.6	5,900.9
Operating Income (Loss)	432.2	435.0	683.9	719.1
Operating segment \| Previously Reported \| Valued at 2021 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					12,844.8
Operating Income (Loss)					1,617.5
Operating segment \| Previously Reported \| Valued at 2022 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					12,483.6
Operating Income (Loss)					1,551.1
Operating segment \| Purchase Price Adjustments \| Changes in Currency Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					(361.2)
Operating Income (Loss)					(66.4)
Operating segment \| Global Industrial
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales	1,704.1	1,502.3	3,261.1	2,887.2
Operating Income (Loss)	227.0	251.3	416.2	461.1
Operating segment \| Global Industrial \| Previously Reported \| Valued at 2021 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					6,304.9
Operating Income (Loss)					1,031.0
Operating segment \| Global Industrial \| Previously Reported \| Valued at 2022 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					6,086.8
Operating Income (Loss)					985.7
Operating segment \| Global Industrial \| Purchase Price Adjustments \| Changes in Currency Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					(218.1)
Operating Income (Loss)					(49.3)
Operating segment \| Global Industrial \| Purchase Price Adjustments \| Segment Changes
Financial information of reportable segments
Operating Income (Loss)					4.0
Operating segment \| Global Institutional and Specialty
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales	1,135.1	963.5	2,140.2	1,807.6
Operating Income (Loss)	152.6	137.7	263.4	199.6
Operating segment \| Global Institutional and Specialty \| Previously Reported \| Valued at 2021 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					3,978.2
Operating Income (Loss)					556.9
Operating segment \| Global Institutional and Specialty \| Previously Reported \| Valued at 2022 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					3,908.8
Operating Income (Loss)					545.7
Operating segment \| Global Institutional and Specialty \| Purchase Price Adjustments \| Changes in Currency Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					(69.4)
Operating Income (Loss)					(7.4)
Operating segment \| Global Institutional and Specialty \| Purchase Price Adjustments \| Segment Changes
Financial information of reportable segments
Operating Income (Loss)					(3.8)
Operating segment \| Global Healthcare and Life Sciences
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales	400.8	292.0	763.4	573.1
Operating Income (Loss)	58.5	46.1	102.6	88.7
Operating segment \| Global Healthcare and Life Sciences \| Previously Reported \| Valued at 2021 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					1,195.4
Operating Income (Loss)					160.9
Operating segment \| Global Healthcare and Life Sciences \| Previously Reported \| Valued at 2022 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					1,149.6
Operating Income (Loss)					152.3
Operating segment \| Global Healthcare and Life Sciences \| Purchase Price Adjustments \| Changes in Currency Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					(45.8)
Operating Income (Loss)					(7.7)
Operating segment \| Global Healthcare and Life Sciences \| Purchase Price Adjustments \| Segment Changes
Financial information of reportable segments
Operating Income (Loss)					(0.9)
Operating segment \| Other
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales	342.3	300.3	638.3	565.7
Operating Income (Loss)	52.0	50.8	89.2	83.1
Operating segment \| Other \| Previously Reported \| Valued at 2021 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					1,226.9
Operating Income (Loss)					187.3
Operating segment \| Other \| Previously Reported \| Valued at 2022 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					1,201.0
Operating Income (Loss)					184.0
Operating segment \| Other \| Purchase Price Adjustments \| Changes in Currency Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					(25.9)
Operating Income (Loss)					(4.0)
Operating segment \| Other \| Purchase Price Adjustments \| Segment Changes
Financial information of reportable segments
Operating Income (Loss)					0.7
Currency impact
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales	(35.6)	70.1	(24.3)	146.8
Operating Income (Loss)	(6.4)	12.8	(3.6)	26.0
Currency impact \| Previously Reported \| Valued at 2021 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					(111.7)
Operating Income (Loss)					(18.9)
Currency impact \| Previously Reported \| Valued at 2022 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					249.5
Operating Income (Loss)					47.5
Currency impact \| Purchase Price Adjustments \| Changes in Currency Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					361.2
Operating Income (Loss)					66.4
Corporate
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales	33.9	34.9	68.7	68.1
Operating Income (Loss)	(57.9)	(50.9)	(187.5)	(113.4)
Corporate \| Valued at 2021 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales	$ 33.9	$ 34.5	$ 68.6	$ 67.3
Corporate \| Previously Reported \| Valued at 2021 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					139.4
Operating Income (Loss)					(318.6)
Corporate \| Previously Reported \| Valued at 2022 Management Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					137.4
Operating Income (Loss)					(316.6)
Corporate \| Purchase Price Adjustments \| Changes in Currency Rates
Financial information of reportable segments
Net sales					(2.0)
Operating Income (Loss)					$ 2.0