1.0.0.3 false Statement Of Cash Flows Indirect (USD $) In Millions false 1 $ false false iso4217_USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 iso4217_USD_per_shares Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 0 false 2 $ false false iso4217_USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 iso4217_USD_per_shares Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 0 false 3 $ false false iso4217_USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 iso4217_USD_per_shares Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 0 5 Operating Activities 3 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 6 Net Income 4 us-gaap_ProfitLoss us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 1994000000 1994 false false 2 true true 1829000000 1829 false false 3 true true 1951000000 1951 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 7 Extraordinary loss, net of income taxes, attributable to Kimberly-Clark Corporation 4 us-gaap_ExtraordinaryItemNetOfTax us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 8000000 8 false false 3 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 8 Depreciation and amortization 4 us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 783000000 783 false false 2 false true 775000000 775 false false 3 false true 807000000 807 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 9 Stock-based compensation 4 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 86000000 86 false false 2 false true 47000000 47 false false 3 false true 63000000 63 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 10 Deferred income taxes 4 us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 141000000 141 false false 2 false true 151000000 151 false false 3 false true -103000000 -103 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 11 Net losses on asset dispositions 4 us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOtherAssets us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 36000000 36 false false 2 false true 51000000 51 false false 3 false true 30000000 30 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 12 Equity companies' earnings in excess of dividends paid 4 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestmentsNetOfDividendsOrDistributions us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -53000000 -53 false false 2 false true -34000000 -34 false false 3 false true -40000000 -40 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 13 Decrease (increase) in operating working capital 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOperatingCapital us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1105000000 1105 false false 2 false true -335000000 -335 false false 3 false true -330000000 -330 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 14 Postretirement benefits 4 kmb_PostretirementBenefits kmb false debit duration monetary The difference between the amount of expense recognized for the period and the amount of cash or cash equivalents contributed... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -609000000 -609 false false 2 false true -38000000 -38 false false 3 false true 14000000 14 false false The difference between the amount of expense recognized for the period and the amount of cash or cash equivalents contributed during the reporting period by the entity to fund its pension plans and its non-pension postretirement benefit plans. No authoritative reference available. false 15 Other 4 us-gaap_AdjustmentsNoncashItemsToReconcileNetIncomeLossToCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesOther us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -2000000 -2 false false 2 false true 62000000 62 false false 3 false true 37000000 37 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 16 Cash Provided by Operations 4 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities us-gaap true na duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3481000000 3481 false false 2 false true 2516000000 2516 false false 3 false true 2429000000 2429 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 17 Investing Activities 3 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 18 Capital spending 4 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -848000000 -848 false false 2 false true -906000000 -906 false false 3 false true -989000000 -989 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 19 Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired 4 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -458000000 -458 false false 2 false true -98000000 -98 false false 3 false true -16000000 -16 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 20 Investments in marketable securities 4 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireMarketableSecurities us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true -9000000 -9 false false 3 false true -13000000 -13 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 21 Proceeds from sales of investments 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleMaturityAndCollectionsOfInvestments us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 40000000 40 false false 2 false true 48000000 48 false false 3 false true 59000000 59 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 22 Net (increase) decrease in time deposits 4 kmb_PaymentsForProceedsFromTimeDeposits kmb false credit duration monetary Investments in or proceeds from time deposits with original maturities of more than 90 days but less than one year. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -47000000 -47 false false 2 false true 76000000 76 false false 3 false true -10000000 -10 false false Investments in or proceeds from time deposits with original maturities of more than 90 days but less than one year. No authoritative reference available. false 23 Proceeds from dispositions of property 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 25000000 25 false false 2 false true 28000000 28 false false 3 false true 97000000 97 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 24 Other 4 us-gaap_PaymentsForProceedsFromOtherInvestingActivities us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 14000000 14 false false 3 false true -26000000 -26 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 25 Cash Used for Investing 4 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -1288000000 -1288 false false 2 false true -847000000 -847 false false 3 false true -898000000 -898 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 26 Financing Activities 3 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 27 Cash dividends paid 4 us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -986000000 -986 false false 2 false true -950000000 -950 false false 3 false true -933000000 -933 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 28 Net (decrease) increase in short-term debt 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromRepaymentsOfShortTermDebt us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -312000000 -312 false false 2 false true -436000000 -436 false false 3 false true 43000000 43 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 29 Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2000000 2 false false 2 false true 551000000 551 false false 3 false true 2128000000 2128 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 30 Repayments of long-term debt 4 us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -278000000 -278 false false 2 false true -274000000 -274 false false 3 false true -339000000 -339 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 31 Cash paid on redeemable preferred securities of subsidiary 4 kmb_CashPaidOnRedeemablePreferredSecuritiesOfSubsidiary kmb false credit duration monetary The cash outflow for the returns on an investment by a third-party in voting preferred securities issued by a subsidiary of... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -53000000 -53 false false 2 false true -47000000 -47 false false 3 false true 0 0 false false The cash outflow for the returns on an investment by a third-party in voting preferred securities issued by a subsidiary of the Corporation. No authoritative reference available. false 32 Proceeds from preferred securities of subsidiary 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromOtherEquity us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false 3 false true 172000000 172 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 33 Proceeds from exercise of stock options 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 165000000 165 false false 2 false true 113000000 113 false false 3 false true 349000000 349 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 34 Acquisitions of common stock for the treasury 4 us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -7000000 -7 false false 2 false true -653000000 -653 false false 3 false true -2813000000 -2813 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 35 Shares purchased from noncontrolling interests 4 us-gaap_PaymentsToMinorityShareholders us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -293000000 -293 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false 3 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 36 Other 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromPaymentsForOtherFinancingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -26000000 -26 false false 2 false true -51000000 -51 false false 3 false true -34000000 -34 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 37 Cash Used for Financing 4 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -1788000000 -1788 false false 2 false true -1747000000 -1747 false false 3 false true -1427000000 -1427 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 38 Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents 3 us-gaap_EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashAndCashEquivalents us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 29000000 29 false false 2 false true -31000000 -31 false false 3 false true 8000000 8 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 39 Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents 3 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease us-gaap true na duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 434000000 434 false false 2 false true -109000000 -109 false false 3 false true 112000000 112 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 40 Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of year 3 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false true false false 1 false true 364000000 364 false false 2 false true 473000000 473 false false 3 false true 361000000 361 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 41 Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of year 3 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false true false 1 true true 798000000 798 false false 2 true true 364000000 364 false false 3 true true 473000000 473 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false false 3 37 false Millions UnKnown UnKnown false true