Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Net revenues	$ 3,932.7	$ 3,821.3	$ 7,045.1	$ 6,972.0
Cost of goods sold	(2,678.8)	(2,644.0)	(4,870.9)	(4,893.4)
Selling and administrative expenses	(770.9)	(703.6)	(1,497.7)	(1,393.2)
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	4.2	0	4.5
Operating income (loss)	483.0	477.9	676.5	689.9
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(62.4)	(62.1)	(123.4)	(131.5)
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0	0	0
Other, net	(1.7)	4.1	(8.8)	3.9
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	418.9	419.9	544.3	562.3
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(99.8)	(54.8)	(123.4)	(92.8)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	319.1	365.1	420.9	469.5
Discontinued operations, net of tax	5.6	7.8	(1.6)	5.6
Net earnings (loss)	324.7	372.9	419.3	475.1
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(7.5)	(7.1)	(14.1)	(13.7)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	317.2	365.8	405.2	461.4
Total comprehensive income (loss)	324.2	159.6	333.8	426.8
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	1.6	(7.1)	(6.2)	(13.7)
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	325.8	152.5	327.6	413.1
IR Ireland [Member]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	(5.7)	(3.6)	(8.3)	(5.4)
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	(5.7)	(3.6)	(8.3)	(5.4)
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	324.9	370.6	417.5	470.3
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	(3.3)	(2.0)	(6.3)	(4.9)
Other, net	0.2	0.1	0.5	0.1
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	316.1	365.1	403.4	460.1
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	1.1	0.7	1.8	1.3
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	317.2	365.8	405.2	461.4
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	317.2	365.8	405.2	461.4
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	317.2	365.8	405.2	461.4
Total comprehensive income (loss)	325.9	152.5	327.6	413.1
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	325.9	152.5	327.6	413.1
IR Limited [Member]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	(0.3)	0	(0.3)
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	0	(0.3)	0	(0.3)
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	324.9	373.0	417.5	269.7
Interest expense	0	(0.1)	0	(0.1)
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0	0	0
Other, net	0	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	324.9	372.6	417.5	269.3
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	324.9	372.6	417.5	269.3
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	324.9	372.6	417.5	269.3
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	324.9	372.6	417.5	269.3
Total comprehensive income (loss)	333.2	159.3	339.5	221.0
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	333.2	159.3	339.5	221.0
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
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	338.7	390.3	447.0	318.8
Interest expense	(3.9)	(4.0)	(7.9)	(7.9)
Intercompany interest and fees	(8.5)	(10.7)	(17.3)	(22.3)
Other, net	0.7	0.3	1.3	0.4
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	327.0	375.9	423.1	289.0
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	327.0	375.9	423.1	289.0
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	327.0	375.9	423.1	289.0
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	327.0	375.9	423.1	289.0
Total comprehensive income (loss)	327.3	376.2	423.7	289.6
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	327.3	376.2	423.7	289.6
IR Global [Member]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	(0.1)	(0.3)	(0.5)	(0.5)
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	(0.1)	(0.3)	(0.5)	(0.5)
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	385.9	441.6	539.8	632.3
Interest expense	(41.7)	(41.0)	(81.4)	(88.8)
Intercompany interest and fees	(9.1)	(12.2)	(18.7)	(23.8)
Other, net	0.5	1.9	0.8	(200.7)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	335.5	390.0	440.0	318.5
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	335.5	390.0	440.0	318.5
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	335.5	390.0	440.0	318.5
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	335.5	390.0	440.0	318.5
Total comprehensive income (loss)	356.4	388.4	451.5	318.2
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	356.4	388.4	451.5	318.2
IR New Jersey [Member]
Net revenues	236.5	239.7	462.0	456.9
Cost of goods sold	(145.3)	(153.6)	(281.9)	(295.8)
Selling and administrative expenses	(118.7)	(80.4)	(225.9)	(160.1)
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	(27.5)	5.7	(45.8)	1.0
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	72.0	70.7	110.2	135.7
Interest expense	(12.2)	(12.5)	(24.8)	(25.1)
Intercompany interest and fees	(0.2)	(1.6)	(0.7)	(0.2)
Other, net	(0.1)	0.1	(2.8)	1.5
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	32.0	62.4	36.1	112.9
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	27.8	12.4	35.1	3.3
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	59.8	74.8	71.2	116.2
Discontinued operations, net of tax	(7.5)	7.5	(17.4)	21.8
Net earnings (loss)	52.3	82.3	53.8	138.0
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	52.3	82.3	53.8	138.0
Total comprehensive income (loss)	57.6	107.0	64.5	194.1
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	2.5	0	2.5	0
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	60.1	107.0	67.0	194.1
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Net revenues	3,696.2	3,581.6	6,583.1	6,515.1
Cost of goods sold	(2,533.5)	(2,490.4)	(4,589.0)	(4,597.6)
Selling and administrative expenses	(646.4)	(619.0)	(1,263.0)	(1,226.9)
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	4.2	0	4.5
Operating income (loss)	516.3	476.4	731.1	695.1
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	379.2	458.0	477.1	426.8
Interest expense	(4.6)	(4.5)	(9.3)	(9.6)
Intercompany interest and fees	21.1	26.5	43.0	51.2
Other, net	1.5	9.5	5.9	12.8
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	913.5	965.9	1,247.8	1,176.3
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(128.7)	(67.9)	(160.3)	(97.4)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	784.8	898.0	1,087.5	1,078.9
Discontinued operations, net of tax	13.1	0.3	15.8	(16.2)
Net earnings (loss)	797.9	898.3	1,103.3	1,062.7
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(12.0)	(13.0)	(28.6)	(24.9)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	785.9	885.3	1,074.7	1,037.8
Total comprehensive income (loss)	770.8	661.7	999.0	958.3
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(5.4)	(13.0)	(23.2)	(24.9)
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	765.4	648.7	975.8	933.4
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
Gain (loss) on sale/asset impairment	0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	(1,825.6)	(2,104.2)	(2,409.1)	(2,253.6)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0	0	0
Other, net	(4.5)	(7.8)	(14.5)	189.8
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	(1,830.1)	(2,112.0)	(2,423.6)	(2,063.8)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	(1,830.1)	(2,112.0)	(2,423.6)	(2,063.8)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	(1,830.1)	(2,112.0)	(2,423.6)	(2,063.8)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	4.5	5.9	14.5	11.2
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	(1,825.6)	(2,106.1)	(2,409.1)	(2,052.6)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(1,847.0)	(1,685.5)	(2,272.0)	(1,967.5)
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	4.5	5.9	14.5	11.2
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	$ (1,842.5)	$ (1,679.6)	$ (2,257.5)	$ (1,956.3)