Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Income Statement) (Details) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Net revenues	$ 3,892.2	$ 3,481.8	$ 7,030.2	$ 6,247.7
Cost of goods sold	(2,708.4)	(2,472.8)	(4,958.2)	(4,481.9)
Selling and administrative expenses	(708.3)	(645.6)	(1,364.6)	(1,262.9)
Operating income (loss)	475.5	363.4	707.4	502.9
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(71.6)	(71.1)	(140.0)	(142.1)
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0	0	0
Other, net	4.5	8.4	9.7	14.2
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	408.4	300.7	577.1	375.0
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(93.9)	(54.9)	(135.4)	(109.0)
Earnings from Continuing operations	314.5	245.8	441.7	266.0
Discontinued operations, net of tax	(215.2)	(43.9)	(413.9)	(58.0)
Net earnings (loss)	99.3	201.9	27.8	208.0
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(7.0)	(5.5)	(13.1)	(10.1)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	92.3	196.4	14.7	197.9
IR Ireland [Member]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	(2.9)	(2.4)	(4.6)	(4.7)
Operating income (loss)	(2.9)	(2.4)	(4.6)	(4.7)
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	94.6	198.9	18.5	202.7
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	(0.1)	0	(0.1)	0
Other, net	0.4	(0.5)	0.4	(0.8)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	92.0	196.0	14.2	197.2
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0.3	0.4	0.5	0.7
Earnings from Continuing operations	92.3	196.4	14.7	197.9
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	92.3	196.4	14.7	197.9
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	92.3	196.4	14.7	197.9
IR Limited [Member]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0.2	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	0.2	0	0	0
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	154.6	194.3	(11.1)	222.4
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0	0	0
Other, net	0	0.2	(0.1)	0.3
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	154.8	194.5	(11.2)	222.7
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Earnings from Continuing operations	154.8	194.5	(11.2)	222.7
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	154.8	194.5	(11.2)	222.7
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	154.8	194.5	(11.2)	222.7
IR International [Member]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	312.3	231.9	158.6	308.5
Interest expense	(3.9)	(3.9)	(7.8)	(7.8)
Intercompany interest and fees	(30.9)	(32.7)	(63.3)	(66.6)
Other, net	0.4	0.3	1.0	0.6
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	277.9	195.6	88.5	234.7
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Earnings from Continuing operations	277.9	195.6	88.5	234.7
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	277.9	195.6	88.5	234.7
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	277.9	195.6	88.5	234.7
IR Global Holding [Member]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	(0.2)	(0.1)	(0.3)	(0.4)
Operating income (loss)	(0.2)	(0.1)	(0.3)	(0.4)
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	287.9	295.8	260.1	404.0
Interest expense	(48.3)	(48.9)	(96.5)	(97.1)
Intercompany interest and fees	13.3	(8.5)	25.8	(15.0)
Other, net	60.1	(4.6)	(29.5)	20.1
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	312.8	233.7	159.6	311.6
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Earnings from Continuing operations	312.8	233.7	159.6	311.6
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	312.8	233.7	159.6	311.6
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	312.8	233.7	159.6	311.6
IR New Jersey [Member]
Net revenues	219.6	179.5	411.8	339.6
Cost of goods sold	(137.6)	(139.8)	(270.3)	(261.7)
Selling and administrative expenses	(67.7)	(54.1)	(129.5)	(100.1)
Operating income (loss)	14.3	(14.4)	12.0	(22.2)
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	53.7	45.8	96.9	77.9
Interest expense	(12.7)	(13.1)	(25.4)	(26.4)
Intercompany interest and fees	(32.1)	(32.4)	(61.5)	(62.7)
Other, net	1.1	5.3	31.0	9.8
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	24.3	(8.8)	53.0	(23.6)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	8.7	16.1	10.1	(6.1)
Earnings from Continuing operations	33.0	7.3	63.1	(29.7)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	(10.1)	(6.9)	(17.9)	(5.1)
Net earnings (loss)	22.9	0.4	45.2	(34.8)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	22.9	0.4	45.2	(34.8)
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Net revenues	3,672.6	3,302.3	6,618.4	5,908.1
Cost of goods sold	(2,570.8)	(2,333.0)	(4,687.9)	(4,220.2)
Selling and administrative expenses	(637.7)	(589.0)	(1,230.2)	(1,157.7)
Operating income (loss)	464.1	380.3	700.3	530.2
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	303.3	195.9	133.6	199.7
Interest expense	(6.7)	(5.2)	(10.3)	(10.8)
Intercompany interest and fees	49.8	73.6	99.1	144.3
Other, net	10.4	29.8	(8.6)	16.8
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	820.9	674.4	914.1	880.2
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(102.9)	(71.4)	(146.0)	(103.6)
Earnings from Continuing operations	718.0	603.0	768.1	776.6
Discontinued operations, net of tax	(205.1)	(37.0)	(396.0)	(52.9)
Net earnings (loss)	512.9	566.0	372.1	723.7
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(15.0)	(32.2)	(27.5)	(22.8)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	497.9	533.8	344.6	700.9
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	(1,206.4)	(1,162.6)	(656.6)	(1,415.2)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0	0	0
Other, net	(67.9)	(22.1)	15.5	(32.6)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	(1,274.3)	(1,184.7)	(641.1)	(1,447.8)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Earnings from Continuing operations	(1,274.3)	(1,184.7)	(641.1)	(1,447.8)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	(1,274.3)	(1,184.7)	(641.1)	(1,447.8)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	8.0	26.7	14.4	12.7
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	$ (1,266.3)	$ (1,158.0)	$ (626.7)	$ (1,435.1)