Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 3,542.9	$ 3,398.4	$ 6,265.9	$ 6,037.4
Cost of goods sold	(2,439.9)	(2,377.5)	(4,394.8)	(4,290.0)
Selling and administrative expenses	(639.7)	(633.4)	(1,252.8)	(1,239.8)
Operating income	463.3	387.5	618.3	507.6
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(53.0)	(61.9)	(105.0)	(122.6)
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0	0	0
Other, net	8.6	(2.4)	10.7	(1.9)
Earnings before income taxes	418.9	323.2	524.0	383.1
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(103.7)	(48.7)	(128.3)	(53.2)
Earnings from continuing operations	315.2	274.5	395.7	329.9
Discontinued operations, net of tax	(4.6)	50.2	(1.7)	89.4
Net earnings	310.6	324.7	394.0	419.3
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4.6)	(7.5)	(9.1)	(14.1)
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	306.0	317.2	384.9	405.2
Total comprehensive income (loss)	315.4	324.2	364.4	333.8
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4.3)	1.6	(10.3)	(6.2)
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	311.1	325.8	354.1	327.6
IR Ireland [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	(20.7)	(5.7)	(22.8)	(8.3)
Operating income	(20.7)	(5.7)	(22.8)	(8.3)
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	330.3	324.9	415.3	417.5
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	(4.1)	(3.3)	(8.1)	(6.3)
Other, net	0	0.2	0.2	0.5
Earnings before income taxes	305.5	316.1	384.6	403.4
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0.3	1.1	0.3	1.8
Earnings from continuing operations	305.8	317.2	384.9	405.2
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0.1	0	0	0
Net earnings	305.9	317.2	384.9	405.2
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	305.9	317.2	384.9	405.2
Total comprehensive income (loss)	311.1	325.9	354.1	327.6
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	311.1	325.9	354.1	327.6
IR Limited [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	335.1	324.9	421.1	417.5
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	(0.9)	0	(1.8)	0
Other, net	0	0	0	0
Earnings before income taxes	334.2	324.9	419.3	417.5
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(0.1)	0	(0.1)	0
Earnings from continuing operations	334.1	324.9	419.2	417.5
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings	334.1	324.9	419.2	417.5
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	334.1	324.9	419.2	417.5
Total comprehensive income (loss)	346.7	333.2	395.8	339.5
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	346.7	333.2	395.8	339.5
IR International [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	339.7	338.7	430.4	447.0
Interest expense	(3.9)	(3.9)	(7.9)	(7.9)
Intercompany interest and fees	(2.1)	(8.5)	(7.8)	(17.3)
Other, net	(0.4)	0.7	3.3	1.3
Earnings before income taxes	333.3	327.0	418.0	423.1
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Earnings from continuing operations	333.3	327.0	418.0	423.1
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings	333.3	327.0	418.0	423.1
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	333.3	327.0	418.0	423.1
Total comprehensive income (loss)	333.6	327.3	418.6	423.7
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	333.6	327.3	418.6	423.7
IR Global [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	(0.3)	(0.1)	(0.4)	(0.5)
Operating income	(0.3)	(0.1)	(0.4)	(0.5)
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	204.1	385.9	184.6	539.8
Interest expense	(31.9)	(41.7)	(63.9)	(81.4)
Intercompany interest and fees	0.1	(9.1)	(1.0)	(18.7)
Other, net	0	0.5	0	0.8
Earnings before income taxes	172.0	335.5	119.3	440.0
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	11.7	0	19.5	0
Earnings from continuing operations	183.7	335.5	138.8	440.0
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings	183.7	335.5	138.8	440.0
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	183.7	335.5	138.8	440.0
Total comprehensive income (loss)	183.8	356.4	139.0	451.5
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	183.8	356.4	139.0	451.5
IR New Jersey [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	246.2	236.5	476.0	462.0
Cost of goods sold	(151.9)	(146.3)	(285.4)	(283.2)
Selling and administrative expenses	(89.3)	(93.9)	(195.6)	(184.8)
Operating income	5.0	(3.7)	(5.0)	(6.0)
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	277.0	72.0	286.4	110.2
Interest expense	(12.3)	(12.2)	(24.6)	(24.8)
Intercompany interest and fees	(62.2)	(0.2)	(87.0)	(0.7)
Other, net	0	(0.1)	13.9	(2.8)
Earnings before income taxes	207.5	55.8	183.7	75.9
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	15.2	27.8	18.9	35.1
Earnings from continuing operations	222.7	83.6	202.6	111.0
Discontinued operations, net of tax	(18.7)	(31.2)	(25.2)	(57.1)
Net earnings	204.0	52.4	177.4	53.9
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	204.0	52.4	177.4	53.9
Total comprehensive income (loss)	67.9	57.6	234.8	64.5
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	2.5	0	2.5
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	67.9	60.1	234.8	67.0
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	3,296.7	3,161.9	5,789.9	5,575.4
Cost of goods sold	(2,288.0)	(2,231.2)	(4,109.4)	(4,006.8)
Selling and administrative expenses	(529.4)	(533.7)	(1,034.0)	(1,046.2)
Operating income	479.3	397.0	646.5	522.4
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	537.4	379.2	595.3	477.1
Interest expense	(4.9)	(4.1)	(8.6)	(8.5)
Intercompany interest and fees	69.2	21.1	105.7	43.0
Other, net	9.0	0.8	(6.7)	12.8
Earnings before income taxes	1,090.0	794.0	1,332.2	1,046.8
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(130.8)	(77.6)	(166.9)	(90.1)
Earnings from continuing operations	959.2	716.4	1,165.3	956.7
Discontinued operations, net of tax	14.0	81.4	23.5	146.5
Net earnings	973.2	797.8	1,188.8	1,103.2
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4.6)	(12.0)	(9.1)	(28.6)
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	968.6	785.8	1,179.7	1,074.6
Total comprehensive income (loss)	1,041.9	770.8	1,029.6	999.0
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4.4)	(5.4)	(10.3)	(23.2)
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	1,037.5	765.4	1,019.3	975.8
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Equity earnings (loss) in affiliates, net of tax	(2,023.6)	(1,825.6)	(2,333.1)	(2,409.1)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0	0	0
Other, net	0	(4.5)	0	(14.5)
Earnings before income taxes	(2,023.6)	(1,830.1)	(2,333.1)	(2,423.6)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Earnings from continuing operations	(2,023.6)	(1,830.1)	(2,333.1)	(2,423.6)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings	(2,023.6)	(1,830.1)	(2,333.1)	(2,423.6)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	4.5	0	14.5
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	(2,023.6)	(1,825.6)	(2,333.1)	(2,409.1)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(1,969.6)	(1,847.0)	(2,207.5)	(2,272.0)
Less: Total comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0.1	4.5	0	14.5
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	$ (1,969.5)	$ (1,842.5)	$ (2,207.5)	$ (2,257.5)