Goodwill, Service Contracts and Other Assets - Changes in Carrying Amount of Service Contracts (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2014
Service contracts [Roll Forward]
Balance as of June 1, 2014	$ 55,675us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
Service contracts acquired	3,007
Service contracts amortization	(5,806)
Service contracts divested in the Storage transactions	(9,570)
Foreign currency translation	(1,716)
Balance as of November 30, 2014	41,590us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
Rental Uniforms and Ancillary Products
Service contracts [Roll Forward]
Balance as of June 1, 2014	17,171
Service contracts acquired	313
Service contracts amortization	(1,679)
Service contracts divested in the Storage transactions	0
Foreign currency translation	(1,148)
Balance as of November 30, 2014	14,657
Uniform Direct Sales
Service contracts [Roll Forward]
Balance as of June 1, 2014	0
Service contracts acquired	0
Service contracts amortization	0
Service contracts divested in the Storage transactions	0
Foreign currency translation	0
Balance as of November 30, 2014	0
First Aid, Safety and Fire Protection
Service contracts [Roll Forward]
Balance as of June 1, 2014	28,034
Service contracts acquired	2,429
Service contracts amortization	(3,530)
Service contracts divested in the Storage transactions	0
Foreign currency translation	0
Balance as of November 30, 2014	26,933
Corporate
Service contracts [Roll Forward]
Balance as of June 1, 2014	10,470
Service contracts acquired	265
Service contracts amortization	(597)
Service contracts divested in the Storage transactions	(9,570)
Foreign currency translation	(568)
Balance as of November 30, 2014	$ 0

Amount of reduction of finite-lived intangible assets due to amortization during the period.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Decrease due to Divestiture

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of increase in assets, excluding financial assets, lacking physical substance with a definite life, resulting from a business combination.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount after amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275

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- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) to assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life for foreign currency translation adjustments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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