Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph e
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75038535&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for the line of credit facility regardless of whether the facility has been used.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Indebtedness divided by net capital.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RatioOfIndebtednessToNetCapital1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash outflow for debt initially having maturity due after one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Covenant, Rolling Twelve Month Coverage Ratio, Minimum

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	whr_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_ForeignLineOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=whr_Seniornote1.35maturing2017Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=whr_Debentures775Maturing2016Member
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=whr_SeniorNote65Maturing2016Member
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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=whr_GuaranteedNotesDueonApril262018Member
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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=whr_ThirdAmendedandRestatedLongTermCreditAgreementMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
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Financing Arrangements - Narrative (Details)					6 Months Ended
Financing Arrangements - Narrative (Details)	Mar. 01, 2017 USD ($)	Jul. 15, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 15, 2016 USD ($)	May 17, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 EUR (€)	Jun. 30, 2017 BRL	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Nov. 02, 2016 EUR (€)	Nov. 02, 2016 USD ($)	May 23, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of long-term debt					$ 260,000,000	$ 257,000,000
Letter of Credit Subfacility Maturing 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity								BRL 1,000,000,000	$ 302,000,000	$ 307,000,000
Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity									0	0
Line of Credit \| Foreign Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity							€ 250,000,000		285,000,000	263,000,000
Senior note - 1.35% maturing 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of long-term debt	$ 250,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	1.35%
Debentures—7.75%, maturing 2016 \| Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of long-term debt		$ 244,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage		7.75%
Senior note—6.5%, maturing 2016 \| Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of long-term debt			$ 250,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			6.50%
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage					101.00%
Notes Maturing 2046, 4.5 Percent Interest Rate \| Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage													4.50%
Debt instrument, face amount													$ 500,000,000
Notes Maturing 2026, 1.250 Percent Interest Rate \| Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage											1.25%	1.25%
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage					101.00%
Debt instrument, face amount											€ 500,000,000	$ 555,000,000
Guaranteed Notes Due on April 26, 2018 \| Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount														€ 300,000,000	$ 363,000,000
Third Amended and Restated Long-Term Credit Agreement \| Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity				$ 2,500,000,000.0					$ 2,500,000,000.0	$ 0
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage				0.125%
Ratio of indebtedness to net capital				0.60
Debt instrument, covenant, rolling twelve month coverage ratio, minimum				3.0
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) \| Third Amended and Restated Long-Term Credit Agreement \| Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, basis spread on variable rate				1.125%
Prime Rate \| Third Amended and Restated Long-Term Credit Agreement \| Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, basis spread on variable rate				0.125%