Selected Consolidated Financial Statements of Parent, Guarantors, Canada Company and Non-Guarantors - Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 188,192	$ 925,699	$ 291,019	$ 236,484
Accounts Receivable	867,041	835,742
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other	189,101	188,874
Total Current Assets	1,244,334	1,950,315
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	4,406,487	3,417,679
Other Assets, Net:
Long-term Notes Receivable from Affiliates and Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Goodwill	4,466,634	4,070,267
Other	1,695,079	1,534,141
Total Other Assets, Net	6,161,713	5,604,408
Total Assets	11,812,534	10,972,402	9,814,693
Liabilities and Equity
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Debit Balances Under Cash Pools	0	0
Current Portion of Long-term Debt	123,818	146,300
Total Other Current Liabilities	1,149,285	1,183,873
Long-term Debt, Net of Current Portion	7,961,761	6,896,971
Long-term Notes Payable to Affiliates and Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Long-term Liabilities	424,883	354,998
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest	95,340	91,418
Total Iron Mountain Incorporated Stockholders' Equity	2,055,940	2,297,438
Noncontrolling Interests	1,507	1,404
Total Equity	2,057,447	2,298,842	1,857,297	1,936,671
Total Liabilities and Equity	11,812,534	10,972,402
Eliminations
Current Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents	(89,919)	(94,726)	(161,550)	0
Accounts Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	(437,598)	(482,024)
Prepaid expenses and other	(29)	(29)
Total Current Assets	(527,546)	(576,779)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0	0
Other Assets, Net:
Long-term Notes Receivable from Affiliates and Intercompany Receivable	(4,764,133)	(4,578,995)
Investment in Subsidiaries	(2,828,005)	(2,744,044)
Goodwill	0	0
Other	0	0
Total Other Assets, Net	(7,592,138)	(7,323,039)
Total Assets	(8,119,684)	(7,899,818)
Liabilities and Equity
Intercompany Payable	(437,598)	(482,024)
Debit Balances Under Cash Pools	(89,919)	(94,726)
Current Portion of Long-term Debt	(29)	(29)
Total Other Current Liabilities	0	0
Long-term Debt, Net of Current Portion	0	0
Long-term Notes Payable to Affiliates and Intercompany Payable	(4,764,133)	(4,578,995)
Other Long-term Liabilities	0	0
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest	0	0
Total Iron Mountain Incorporated Stockholders' Equity	(2,828,005)	(2,744,044)
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0
Total Equity	(2,828,005)	(2,744,044)
Total Liabilities and Equity	(8,119,684)	(7,899,818)
Parent | Reportable legal entities
Current Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents	62	2,433	1,420	2,405
Accounts Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	0	332,293
Prepaid expenses and other	318	1,579
Total Current Assets	380	336,305
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	251	316
Other Assets, Net:
Long-term Notes Receivable from Affiliates and Intercompany Receivable	4,764,133	4,578,995
Investment in Subsidiaries	1,892,689	1,858,045
Goodwill	0	0
Other	2,203	0
Total Other Assets, Net	6,659,025	6,437,040
Total Assets	6,659,656	6,773,661
Liabilities and Equity
Intercompany Payable	114,379	0
Debit Balances Under Cash Pools	0	0
Current Portion of Long-term Debt	0	0
Total Other Current Liabilities	246,808	235,062
Long-term Debt, Net of Current Portion	4,227,267	4,232,759
Long-term Notes Payable to Affiliates and Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Long-term Liabilities	0	0
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest	15,262	8,402
Total Iron Mountain Incorporated Stockholders' Equity	2,055,940	2,297,438
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0
Total Equity	2,055,940	2,297,438
Total Liabilities and Equity	6,659,656	6,773,661
Guarantors
Other Assets, Net:
Deposits	42,000	38,400
Guarantors | Reportable legal entities
Current Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents	50,056	634,317	39,397	23,380
Accounts Receivable	58,280	32,972
Intercompany Receivable	437,598	149,731
Prepaid expenses and other	108,078	103,643
Total Current Assets	654,012	920,663
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	2,939,491	2,030,875
Other Assets, Net:
Long-term Notes Receivable from Affiliates and Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	935,316	885,999
Goodwill	2,860,920	2,577,310
Other	944,678	796,913
Total Other Assets, Net	4,740,914	4,260,222
Total Assets	8,334,417	7,211,760
Liabilities and Equity
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Debit Balances Under Cash Pools	48,576	56,233
Current Portion of Long-term Debt	60,363	54,247
Total Other Current Liabilities	532,092	527,549
Long-term Debt, Net of Current Portion	1,637,813	758,166
Long-term Notes Payable to Affiliates and Intercompany Payable	4,764,133	4,578,995
Other Long-term Liabilities	118,575	113,024
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest	0	0
Total Iron Mountain Incorporated Stockholders' Equity	1,172,865	1,123,546
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0
Total Equity	1,172,865	1,123,546
Total Liabilities and Equity	8,334,417	7,211,760
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries including Canada Company [Member] | Reportable legal entities
Current Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents	227,993	383,675
Accounts Receivable	808,761	802,770
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other	80,734	83,681
Total Current Assets	1,117,488	1,270,126
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	1,466,745	1,386,488
Other Assets, Net:
Long-term Notes Receivable from Affiliates and Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Goodwill	1,605,714	1,492,957
Other	748,198	737,228
Total Other Assets, Net	2,353,912	2,230,185
Total Assets	4,938,145	4,886,799
Liabilities and Equity
Intercompany Payable	323,219	482,024
Debit Balances Under Cash Pools	41,343	38,493
Current Portion of Long-term Debt	63,484	92,082
Total Other Current Liabilities	370,385	421,262
Long-term Debt, Net of Current Portion	2,096,681	1,906,046
Long-term Notes Payable to Affiliates and Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Long-term Liabilities	306,308	241,974
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest	80,078	83,016
Total Iron Mountain Incorporated Stockholders' Equity	1,655,140	1,620,498
Noncontrolling Interests	1,507	1,404
Total Equity	1,656,647	1,621,902
Total Liabilities and Equity	4,938,145	4,886,799
Non-Guarantors
Other Assets, Net:
Deposits	50,600	62,000
Non-Guarantors | Reportable legal entities
Current Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents			411,752	193,589
Canada Company | Reportable legal entities
Current Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents			$ 0	$ 17,110
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries including Canada Company [Member] | Reportable legal entities
Current Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 227,993	$ 383,675