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Earnings Per Share - Narrative (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 19 Months Ended 1 Months Ended
Feb. 28, 2015
Feb. 28, 2014
Feb. 28, 2015
Feb. 28, 2014
Feb. 28, 2015
Apr. 02, 2015
Jul. 30, 2013
Jan. 13, 2015
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Line Items]                
Basic earnings per share, discontinued operations (dollars per share) $ 0.01us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTaxPerBasicShare $ 0.00us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTaxPerBasicShare $ 0.16us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTaxPerBasicShare $ 0.01us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTaxPerBasicShare        
Diluted earnings per share, discontinued operations (dollars per share) $ 0.01us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTaxPerDilutedShare $ 0.00us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTaxPerDilutedShare $ 0.15us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTaxPerDilutedShare $ 0.01us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTaxPerDilutedShare        
Options granted and excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share (shares) 0.4us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount 0.4us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount 0.7us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount 0.6us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount        
Common stock purchased under share buyback 3.2us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired   4.0us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired   7.3us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired      
Common stock purchased under a share buyback, average price per share $ 78.84us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare   $ 75.49us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare   $ 68.28us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare      
Aggregate purchase price of common stock under a share buyback program $ 250.8us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod   $ 300.5us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod   $ 500.0us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod      
Employee payroll taxes due on restricted stock                
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Line Items]                
Common stock purchased under share buyback     0.2us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualShareBasedPaymentsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= ctas_EmployeePayrollTaxesDueOnRestrictedStockMember
         
Common stock purchased under a share buyback, average price per share     $ 64.32us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualShareBasedPaymentsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= ctas_EmployeePayrollTaxesDueOnRestrictedStockMember
         
Aggregate purchase price of common stock under a share buyback program 0.2us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualShareBasedPaymentsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= ctas_EmployeePayrollTaxesDueOnRestrictedStockMember
  14.1us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualShareBasedPaymentsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= ctas_EmployeePayrollTaxesDueOnRestrictedStockMember
         
Common Stock | Subsequent Event                
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Line Items]                
Common stock purchased under share buyback           0us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
   
July 30, 2013                
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Line Items]                
Share buyback program, authorized amount             500.0us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= ctas_BuybackProgramJuly2013Member
 
January 13, 2015                
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Line Items]                
Share buyback program, authorized amount               $ 500.0us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= ctas_BuybackProgramJanuary2015Member