Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Income Statement) (Details) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Net revenues	$ 3,928.5	$ 3,730.3	$ 11,328.2	$ 10,367.4
Cost of goods sold	(2,771.8)	(2,643.8)	(8,032.6)	(7,436.1)
Selling and administrative expenses	(712.2)	(675.8)	(2,125.2)	(1,988.6)
Loss on sale/asset impairment	(264.8)	0	(651.6)	0
Operating income (loss)	179.7	410.7	518.8	942.7
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(69.7)	(70.2)	(209.7)	(212.3)
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0	0	0
Other, net	21.3	8.7	28.6	22.3
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	131.3	349.2	337.7	752.7
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(29.2)	(72.1)	(168.4)	(189.4)
Earnings from continuing operations	102.1	277.1	169.3	563.3
Discontinued operations, net of tax	(8.6)	(39.5)	(48.1)	(117.7)
Net earnings (loss)	93.5	237.6	121.2	445.6
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(7.3)	(5.4)	(20.3)	(15.5)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	86.2	232.2	100.9	430.1
IR Ireland [Member]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	(2.0)	(1.9)	(6.6)	(6.6)
Loss on sale/asset impairment	0		0
Operating income (loss)	(2.0)	(1.9)	(6.6)	(6.6)
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	88.4	233.6	106.9	436.3
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	(0.6)	0	(0.7)	0
Other, net	0	0.2	0.4	(0.6)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	85.8	231.9	100.0	429.1
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0.4	0.2	0.9	0.9
Earnings from continuing operations	86.2	232.1	100.9	430.0
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	86.2	232.1	100.9	430.0
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	86.2	232.1	100.9	430.0
IR Limited [Member]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Loss on sale/asset impairment	0		0
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	427.7	240.3	416.6	462.7
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0	0	0
Other, net	0	(0.2)	(0.1)	0.1
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	427.7	240.1	416.5	462.8
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Earnings from continuing operations	427.7	240.1	416.5	462.8
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	427.7	240.1	416.5	462.8
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	427.7	240.1	416.5	462.8
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
Loss on sale/asset impairment	0		0
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	373.7	267.2	532.3	575.7
Interest expense	(4.0)	(3.9)	(11.8)	(11.7)
Intercompany interest and fees	(32.4)	(35.3)	(95.7)	(101.9)
Other, net	0.4	0	1.4	0.6
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	337.7	228.0	426.2	462.7
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Earnings from continuing operations	337.7	228.0	426.2	462.7
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	337.7	228.0	426.2	462.7
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	337.7	228.0	426.2	462.7
IR Global Holding [Member]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	(0.1)	(0.1)	(0.4)	(0.5)
Loss on sale/asset impairment	0		0
Operating income (loss)	(0.1)	(0.1)	(0.4)	(0.5)
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	69.3	321.7	329.4	725.7
Interest expense	(48.3)	(48.9)	(144.8)	(146.0)
Intercompany interest and fees	13.8	(10.4)	39.6	(25.4)
Other, net	339.8	6.3	310.3	26.4
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	374.5	268.6	534.1	580.2
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Earnings from continuing operations	374.5	268.6	534.1	580.2
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	374.5	268.6	534.1	580.2
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	374.5	268.6	534.1	580.2
IR New Jersey [Member]
Net revenues	221.5	200.1	633.3	539.7
Cost of goods sold	(151.6)	(151.5)	(421.9)	(413.2)
Selling and administrative expenses	(72.2)	(46.3)	(201.8)	(146.6)
Loss on sale/asset impairment	3.1		0
Operating income (loss)	0.8	2.3	9.6	(20.1)
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	28.3	20.9	125.2	98.8
Interest expense	(12.8)	(12.7)	(38.2)	(39.1)
Intercompany interest and fees	(29.5)	(31.3)	(91.0)	(97.9)
Other, net	2.7	3.7	33.7	13.5
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	(10.5)	(17.1)	39.3	(44.8)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(8.0)	0.9	3.3	(5.2)
Earnings from continuing operations	(18.5)	(16.2)	42.6	(50.0)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	(0.7)	23.0	(16.6)	18.1
Net earnings (loss)	(19.2)	6.8	26.0	(31.9)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	(19.2)	6.8	26.0	(31.9)
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Net revenues	3,707.0	3,530.2	10,694.9	9,827.7
Cost of goods sold	(2,620.2)	(2,492.3)	(7,610.7)	(7,022.9)
Selling and administrative expenses	(637.9)	(627.5)	(1,916.4)	(1,834.9)
Loss on sale/asset impairment	(267.9)		(651.6)
Operating income (loss)	181.0	410.4	516.2	969.9
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	318.7	234.9	452.3	430.7
Interest expense	(4.6)	(4.7)	(14.9)	(15.5)
Intercompany interest and fees	48.7	77.0	147.8	225.2
Other, net	25.4	32.8	14.4	49.0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	569.2	750.4	1,115.8	1,659.3
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(21.6)	(73.2)	(172.6)	(185.1)
Earnings from continuing operations	547.6	677.2	943.2	1,474.2
Discontinued operations, net of tax	(7.9)	(62.5)	(31.5)	(135.8)
Net earnings (loss)	539.7	614.7	911.7	1,338.4
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(15.1)	(33.0)	(42.5)	(55.8)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	524.6	581.7	869.2	1,282.6
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
Loss on sale/asset impairment	0		0
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	(1,306.1)	(1,318.6)	(1,962.7)	(2,729.9)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0	0	0
Other, net	(347.0)	(34.1)	(331.5)	(66.7)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	(1,653.1)	(1,352.7)	(2,294.2)	(2,796.6)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Earnings from continuing operations	(1,653.1)	(1,352.7)	(2,294.2)	(2,796.6)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	(1,653.1)	(1,352.7)	(2,294.2)	(2,796.6)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	7.8	27.6	22.2	40.3
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	$ (1,645.3)	$ (1,325.1)	$ (2,272.0)	$ (2,756.3)