Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Accounting Policies	Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all material adjustments which are of a normal and recurring nature necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the periods presented have been reflected. For further information, refer to the Consolidated Financial Statements and footnotes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. The terms "Corporation," "Kimberly-Clark," "K-C," "we," "our" and "us" refer to Kimberly-Clark Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries. Highly Inflationary Accounting for Venezuelan Operations Our Venezuelan subsidiary ("K-C Venezuela") accounts for its operations as highly inflationary, as required by GAAP. Under highly inflationary accounting, K-C Venezuela's functional currency became the U.S. dollar, and its income statement and balance sheet are measured into U.S. dollars using both current and historical rates of exchange. The effect of changes in exchange rates on bolivar-denominated monetary assets and liabilities is reflected in earnings in Other (income) and expense, net. We determined that the Central Bank of Venezuela regulated currency exchange system rate of 5.4 bolivars per U.S. dollar was the appropriate exchange rate to measure K-C Venezuela's bolivar-denominated transactions into U.S. dollars during 2011 and through September 30, 2012.

Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all material adjustments which are of a normal and recurring nature necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the periods presented have been reflected.

For further information, refer to the Consolidated Financial Statements and footnotes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. The terms "Corporation," "Kimberly-Clark," "K-C," "we," "our" and "us" refer to Kimberly-Clark Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries.

Highly Inflationary Accounting for Venezuelan Operations

Our Venezuelan subsidiary ("K-C Venezuela") accounts for its operations as highly inflationary, as required by GAAP. Under highly inflationary accounting, K-C Venezuela's functional currency became the U.S. dollar, and its income statement and balance sheet are measured into U.S. dollars using both current and historical rates of exchange. The effect of changes in exchange rates on bolivar-denominated monetary assets and liabilities is reflected in earnings in Other (income) and expense, net. We determined that the Central Bank of Venezuela regulated currency exchange system rate of 5.4 bolivars per U.S. dollar was the appropriate exchange rate to measure K-C Venezuela's bolivar-denominated transactions into U.S. dollars during 2011 and through September 30, 2012.