Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011
Net revenues	$ 3,150.7	$ 3,273.8
Cost of goods sold	(2,249.4)	(2,368.6)
Selling and administrative expenses	(689.6)	(677.1)
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0.3	(186.3)
Operating income (loss)	212.0	41.8
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	0	0
Interest expense	(69.4)	(68.3)
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0
Other, net	(0.2)	4.9
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	142.4	(21.6)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(38.0)	(40.8)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	104.4	(62.4)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	(2.2)	(9.1)
Net earnings (loss)	102.2	(71.5)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6.6)	(6.1)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	95.6	(77.6)
Total comprehensive income	267.2	119.6
Less: Total comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6.6)	(6.1)
Total comprehensive income attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	260.6	113.5
IR Ireland [Member]
Net revenues	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	(1.8)	(1.8)
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	0
Operating income (loss)	(1.8)	(1.8)
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	99.7	(76.0)
Interest expense	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	(2.9)	0
Other, net	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	95.0	(77.8)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0.6	0.2
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	95.6	(77.6)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	95.6	(77.6)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	95.6	(77.6)
Total comprehensive income	260.6	113.5
Less: Total comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total comprehensive income attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	260.6	113.5
IR Limited [Member]
Net revenues	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	0
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	0
Operating income (loss)	0	0
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	(103.3)	(165.7)
Interest expense	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0
Other, net	0	(0.1)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	(103.3)	(165.8)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	(103.3)	(165.8)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	(103.3)	(165.8)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	(103.3)	(165.8)
Total comprehensive income	61.7	25.0
Less: Total comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total comprehensive income attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	61.7	25.0
IR International [Member]
Net revenues	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	0
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	0
Operating income (loss)	0	0
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	(53.1)	(137.9)
Interest expense	(3.9)	(3.9)
Intercompany interest and fees	(11.6)	(32.4)
Other, net	0.1	0.6
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	(68.5)	(173.6)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	(68.5)	(173.6)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	(68.5)	(173.6)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	(68.5)	(173.6)
Total comprehensive income	(68.2)	(173.3)
Less: Total comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total comprehensive income attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	(68.2)	(173.3)
IR Global Holding [Member]
Net revenues	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	(0.2)	(0.1)
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	0
Operating income (loss)	(0.2)	(0.1)
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	209.8	(12.0)
Interest expense	(47.8)	(48.2)
Intercompany interest and fees	(11.6)	12.5
Other, net	(202.6)	(89.6)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	(52.4)	(137.4)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	(52.4)	(137.4)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	(52.4)	(137.4)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	(52.4)	(137.4)
Total comprehensive income	(51.1)	(134.0)
Less: Total comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total comprehensive income attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	(51.1)	(134.0)
IR New Jersey [Member]
Net revenues	217.2	192.2
Cost of goods sold	(142.2)	(132.7)
Selling and administrative expenses	(79.7)	(61.8)
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	(0.6)
Operating income (loss)	(4.7)	(2.9)
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	66.9	43.2
Interest expense	(12.6)	(12.7)
Intercompany interest and fees	1.4	(29.4)
Other, net	1.4	29.9
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	52.4	28.1
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(9.1)	1.4
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	43.3	29.5
Discontinued operations, net of tax	14.3	(7.2)
Net earnings (loss)	57.6	22.3
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	57.6	22.3
Total comprehensive income	89.0	36.5
Less: Total comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total comprehensive income attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	89.0	36.5
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Net revenues	2,933.5	3,081.6
Cost of goods sold	(2,107.2)	(2,235.9)
Selling and administrative expenses	(607.9)	(613.4)
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0.3	(185.7)
Operating income (loss)	218.7	46.6
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	(10.7)	(153.9)
Interest expense	(5.1)	(3.5)
Intercompany interest and fees	24.7	49.3
Other, net	3.3	(9.0)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	230.9	(70.5)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(29.5)	(42.4)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	201.4	(112.9)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	(16.5)	(1.9)
Net earnings (loss)	184.9	(114.8)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(11.9)	(22.8)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	173.0	(137.6)
Total comprehensive income	317.1	58.4
Less: Total comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(11.9)	(22.8)
Total comprehensive income attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	305.2	35.6
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Net revenues	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	0
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	0
Operating income (loss)	0	0
Equity earnings in affiliates, net of tax	(209.3)	502.3
Interest expense	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0
Other, net	197.6	73.1
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	(11.7)	575.4
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	(11.7)	575.4
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	(11.7)	575.4
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	5.3	16.7
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	(6.4)	592.1
Total comprehensive income	(341.9)	193.5
Less: Total comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	5.3	16.7
Total comprehensive income attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	$ (336.6)	$ 210.2