Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Net revenues	$ 3,112.4	$ 3,150.7
Cost of goods sold	(2,192.1)	(2,249.4)
Selling and administrative expenses	(726.8)	(689.6)
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	0.3
Operating income (loss)	193.5	212.0
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	0	0
Interest expense	(61.0)	(69.4)
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0
Other, net	(7.0)	(0.2)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	125.5	142.4
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(23.7)	(38.0)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	101.8	104.4
Discontinued operations, net of tax	(7.2)	(2.2)
Net earnings (loss)	94.6	102.2
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6.6)	(6.6)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	88.0	95.6
Total comprehensive income (loss)	9.6	267.2
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(7.8)	(6.6)
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	1.8	260.6
IR Ireland [Member]
Net revenues	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	(2.6)	(1.8)
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	0
Operating income (loss)	(2.6)	(1.8)
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	92.6	99.7
Interest expense	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	(3.0)	(2.9)
Other, net	0.3	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	87.3	95.0
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0.7	0.6
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	88.0	95.6
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	88.0	95.6
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	88.0	95.6
Total comprehensive income (loss)	1.7	260.6
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	1.7	260.6
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 (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	92.6	(103.3)
Interest expense	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	92.6	(103.3)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	92.6	(103.3)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	92.6	(103.3)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	92.6	(103.3)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	6.3	61.7
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	6.3	61.7
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 (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	108.3	(71.5)
Interest expense	(4.0)	(3.9)
Intercompany interest and fees	(8.8)	(11.6)
Other, net	0.6	0.1
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	96.1	(86.9)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	96.1	(86.9)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	96.1	(86.9)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	96.1	(86.9)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	96.4	(86.6)
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	96.4	(86.6)
IR Global [Member]
Net revenues	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	(0.4)	(0.2)
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	0
Operating income (loss)	(0.4)	(0.2)
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	153.9	190.7
Interest expense	(39.7)	(47.8)
Intercompany interest and fees	(9.6)	(11.6)
Other, net	0.3	(202.6)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	104.5	(71.5)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	104.5	(71.5)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	104.5	(71.5)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	104.5	(71.5)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	95.1	(70.2)
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	95.1	(70.2)
IR New Jersey [Member]
Net revenues	225.5	217.2
Cost of goods sold	(136.6)	(142.2)
Selling and administrative expenses	(107.2)	(79.7)
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	0
Operating income (loss)	(18.3)	(4.7)
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	38.2	65.0
Interest expense	(12.6)	(12.6)
Intercompany interest and fees	(0.5)	1.4
Other, net	(2.7)	1.4
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	4.1	50.5
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	7.3	(9.1)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	11.4	41.4
Discontinued operations, net of tax	(9.9)	14.3
Net earnings (loss)	1.5	55.7
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	1.5	55.7
Total comprehensive income (loss)	6.9	87.1
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	6.9	87.1
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Net revenues	2,886.9	2,933.5
Cost of goods sold	(2,055.5)	(2,107.2)
Selling and administrative expenses	(616.6)	(607.9)
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	0.3
Operating income (loss)	214.8	218.7
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	97.9	(31.2)
Interest expense	(4.7)	(5.1)
Intercompany interest and fees	21.9	24.7
Other, net	4.5	3.3
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	334.4	210.4
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(31.7)	(29.5)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	302.7	180.9
Discontinued operations, net of tax	2.7	(16.5)
Net earnings (loss)	305.4	164.4
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(16.6)	(11.9)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	288.8	152.5
Total comprehensive income (loss)	228.2	296.7
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(17.8)	(11.9)
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	210.4	284.8
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 (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	(583.5)	(149.4)
Interest expense	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0
Other, net	(10.0)	197.6
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	(593.5)	48.2
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	(593.5)	48.2
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	(593.5)	48.2
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	10.0	5.3
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	(583.5)	53.5
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(425.0)	(282.1)
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	10.0	5.3
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	$ (415.0)	$ (276.8)