Consolidated Statement of Stockholders' Equity (Deficit) - USD ($)	Extension of Convertible Note Maturity Date, Vista Capital [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Extension of Convertible Note Maturity Date, Vista Capital [Member] Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Extension of Convertible Note Maturity Date, Vista Capital [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Extension of Convertible Note Maturity Date, Vista Capital [Member] AOCI Attributable to Parent [Member]	Extension of Convertible Note Maturity Date, Vista Capital [Member] Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Extension of Convertible Note Maturity Date, Vista Capital [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	AOCI Attributable to Parent [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Total
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017							104,164,465
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017							$ 70,000	$ 97,093,000	$ (101,205,000)	$ (62,000)	$ 695,000	$ (3,409,000)
Conversion of notes (in shares)							18,859,100
Conversion of notes							$ 13,000	6,177,000				6,190,000
Inducement to convert notes (in shares)							2,749,197
Inducement to convert notes							$ 2,000	630,000				632,000
Issuance of common stock for service (in shares)							3,214,121
Issuance of common stock for service							$ 2,000	906,000				908,000
Issuance of common stock for interest (in shares)							2,042,196
Issuance of common stock for interest							$ 1,000	523,000				524,000
Financing fee in common stock (in shares)							402,385
Financing fee in common stock								127,000				127,000
Issuance of common stock for the acquisition of In-process research and development (in shares)							7,142,858
Issuance of common stock for the acquisition of In-process research and development							$ 5,000	(5,000)
Sale of stock for cash (in shares)							2,891,749
Sale of stock for cash							$ 2,000	837,000				839,000
Warrant exercise price reduction for cash		$ 506,000				$ 506,000		149,000				149,000
Stock option compensation expense								1,335,000				1,335,000
Warrants and conversion feature issued as discount on convertible notes payable and line of credit								795,000				795,000
Issuance of Clyra common stock								852,000			153,000	1,005,000
Deemed dividend for the change in accounting for derivative liability								297,000	(297,000)
Net loss									(10,221,000)		(475,000)	(10,696,000)
Foreign currency translation										(28,000)		(28,000)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018							141,466,071
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018							$ 95,000	110,222,000	(111,723,000)	(90,000)	373,000	(1,123,000)
Conversion of notes (in shares)							12,105,699
Conversion of notes							$ 8,000	1,727,000				1,735,000
Issuance of common stock for service (in shares)							3,318,490
Issuance of common stock for service							$ 2,000	708,000				710,000
Issuance of common stock for interest (in shares)							915,164
Issuance of common stock for interest							$ 1,000	199,000				200,000
Sale of stock for cash (in shares)							556,144
Sale of stock for cash								125,000				125,000
Warrant exercise price reduction for cash								3,931,000				3,931,000
Stock option compensation expense								1,522,000				1,522,000
Issuance of Clyra common stock								186,000			350,000	536,000
Deemed dividend for the change in accounting for derivative liability								809,000	(809,000)
Net loss									(10,690,000)		(750,000)	(11,440,000)
Foreign currency translation										(9,000)		$ (9,000)
Warrant exercise (in shares)							7,544,456					7,544,456
Warrant exercise							$ 5,000	555,000				$ 560,000
Financing fee in common stock cancelled (in shares)							(150,000)
Financing fee in common stock cancelled								(42,000)				(42,000)
Stock issuance to officer (in shares)							500,000
Stock issuance to officer
Debt extinguishment expense								619,000				619,000
Warrant reprice								56,000				56,000
Exchange Clyra ownership for Biolargo Debt								440,000				440,000
Preferred Series A Clyra dividend, converted to Clyra Shares								270,000	(270,000)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019							166,256,024
Balance at Dec. 31, 2019							$ 111,000	$ 121,327,000	$ (123,492,000)	$ (99,000)	$ (27,000)	$ (2,180,000)