Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 3,670.5	$ 3,567.8	$ 10,579.5	$ 10,150.1
Cost of goods sold	(2,489.9)	(2,412.9)	(7,269.1)	(6,960.6)
Selling and administrative expenses	(674.5)	(643.2)	(2,031.7)	(1,939.1)
Operating income	506.1	511.7	1,278.7	1,250.4
Equity earnings (loss) in subsidiaries, net of tax		0.0	0.0	0.0
Interest expense	(53.9)	(54.5)	(162.0)	(167.7)
Intercompany interest and fees		0.0	0.0	0.0
Other income/(expense), net	(7.6)	(6.3)	(23.8)	390.5
Earnings before income taxes	444.6	450.9	1,092.9	1,473.2
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(76.4)	(83.2)	(243.2)	(217.6)
Earnings from continuing operations	368.2	367.7	849.7	1,255.6
Discontinued operations, net of tax	3.7	14.2	5.5	34.3
Net earnings	371.9	381.9	855.2	1,289.9
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4.9)	(4.5)	(12.5)	(12.5)
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	367.0	377.4	842.7	1,277.4
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	116.8	20.5	413.6	87.5
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	483.8	397.9	1,256.3	1,364.9
IR Ireland [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Cost of goods sold		0.0	0.0	0.0
Selling and administrative expenses		(3.8)	(12.0)	(10.6)
Operating income	(3.8)	(3.8)	(12.0)	(10.6)
Equity earnings (loss) in subsidiaries, net of tax		400.3	876.3	1,337.8
Interest expense		0.0	0.0	0.0
Intercompany interest and fees		(19.6)	(22.5)	(51.1)
Other income/(expense), net		0.0	0.0	0.1
Earnings before income taxes	367.0	376.9	841.8	1,276.2
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		(0.5)	(0.9)	(1.2)
Earnings from continuing operations	367.0	377.4	842.7	1,277.4
Discontinued operations, net of tax		0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings	367.0	377.4	842.7	1,277.4
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests		0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	367.0	377.4	842.7	1,277.4
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	116.8	20.5	413.6	87.5
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	483.8	397.9	1,256.3	1,364.9
IR Irish Holdings [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Cost of goods sold		0.0	0.0	0.0
Selling and administrative expenses		0.0	0.0	0.0
Operating income	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Equity earnings (loss) in subsidiaries, net of tax		397.5	864.6	1,323.3
Interest expense		0.0	0.0	0.0
Intercompany interest and fees		0.0	0.0	0.0
Other income/(expense), net		0.0	0.0	0.0
Earnings before income taxes	377.6	397.5	864.6	1,323.3
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		0.0	0.0	0.0
Earnings from continuing operations	377.6	397.5	864.6	1,323.3
Discontinued operations, net of tax		0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings	377.6	397.5	864.6	1,323.3
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests		0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	377.6	397.5	864.6	1,323.3
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	116.6	20.6	412.7	87.5
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	494.2	418.1	1,277.3	1,410.8
IR Lux International [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues		0.0	0.0	0.0
Cost of goods sold		0.0	0.0	0.0
Selling and administrative expenses		0.0	(0.1)	(0.1)
Operating income	0.0	0.0	(0.1)	(0.1)
Equity earnings (loss) in subsidiaries, net of tax		376.2	806.0	1,247.9
Interest expense		0.0	0.0	0.0
Intercompany interest and fees		(13.6)	(33.2)	(33.2)
Other income/(expense), net		0.0	0.1	0.0
Earnings before income taxes	354.0	362.6	772.8	1,214.6
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		5.1	0.0	5.1
Earnings from continuing operations	354.0	367.7	772.8	1,219.7
Discontinued operations, net of tax		0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings	354.0	367.7	772.8	1,219.7
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests		0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	354.0	367.7	772.8	1,219.7
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	107.4	33.0	383.3	86.9
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	461.4	400.7	1,156.1	1,306.6
IR Global [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues		0.0	0.0	0.0
Cost of goods sold		0.0	0.0	0.0
Selling and administrative expenses		(0.1)	(0.9)	(0.1)
Operating income	0.0	(0.1)	(0.9)	(0.1)
Equity earnings (loss) in subsidiaries, net of tax		255.6	555.6	546.0
Interest expense		(31.8)	(95.2)	(95.5)
Intercompany interest and fees		(42.6)	(131.3)	(121.4)
Other income/(expense), net		0.0	0.0	0.0
Earnings before income taxes	178.9	181.1	328.2	329.0
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		(27.0)	(82.9)	(78.9)
Earnings from continuing operations	206.9	208.1	411.1	407.9
Discontinued operations, net of tax		0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings	206.9	208.1	411.1	407.9
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests		0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	206.9	208.1	411.1	407.9
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	48.6	22.8	262.9	47.5
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	255.5	230.9	674.0	455.4
IR New Jersey [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues		341.3	968.3	979.6
Cost of goods sold		(229.4)	(695.3)	(716.3)
Selling and administrative expenses		(6.8)	(308.6)	(255.4)
Operating income	7.7	105.1	(35.6)	7.9
Equity earnings (loss) in subsidiaries, net of tax		229.9	759.1	685.1
Interest expense		(11.9)	(35.6)	(36.0)
Intercompany interest and fees		(71.7)	(231.8)	(212.7)
Other income/(expense), net		(0.1)	(6.5)	(2.7)
Earnings before income taxes	227.8	251.3	449.6	441.6
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		11.9	(102.0)	(70.9)
Earnings from continuing operations	252.1	239.4	551.6	512.5
Discontinued operations, net of tax		16.1	3.9	34.0
Net earnings	255.6	255.5	555.5	546.5
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests		0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	255.6	255.5	555.5	546.5
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	48.6	22.8	262.6	47.2
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	304.2	278.3	818.1	593.7
IR Lux Finance [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues		0.0	0.0	0.0
Cost of goods sold		0.0	0.0	0.0
Selling and administrative expenses		(0.1)	(0.3)	(0.4)
Operating income	(0.1)	(0.1)	(0.3)	(0.4)
Equity earnings (loss) in subsidiaries, net of tax		146.7	53.3	798.4
Interest expense		(10.4)	(30.6)	(32.6)
Intercompany interest and fees		(2.0)	(5.9)	(5.0)
Other income/(expense), net		0.0	0.0	0.0
Earnings before income taxes	13.7	134.2	16.5	760.4
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Earnings from continuing operations	13.7	134.2	16.5	760.4
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings	13.7	134.2	16.5	760.4
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	13.7	134.2	16.5	760.4
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	60.5	20.5	120.7	31.8
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	74.2	154.7	137.2	792.2
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues		3,311.4	9,883.6	9,433.4
Cost of goods sold		(2,268.4)	(6,846.2)	(6,507.2)
Selling and administrative expenses		(632.4)	(1,709.8)	(1,672.5)
Operating income	502.3	410.6	1,327.6	1,253.7
Equity earnings (loss) in subsidiaries, net of tax		0.0	0.0	0.0
Interest expense		(0.4)	(0.6)	(3.6)
Intercompany interest and fees		149.5	424.7	423.4
Other income/(expense), net		(6.2)	(17.4)	393.1
Earnings before income taxes	645.2	553.5	1,734.3	2,066.6
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		103.9	429.0	373.7
Earnings from continuing operations	516.5	449.6	1,305.3	1,692.9
Discontinued operations, net of tax		(1.9)	1.6	0.3
Net earnings	516.7	447.7	1,306.9	1,693.2
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests		(4.5)	(12.5)	(12.5)
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	511.8	443.2	1,294.4	1,680.7
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	112.5	(47.4)	409.0	74.3
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	624.3	395.8	1,703.4	1,755.0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues		(84.9)	(272.4)	(262.9)
Cost of goods sold		84.9	272.4	262.9
Selling and administrative expenses		0.0	0.0	0.0
Operating income	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Equity earnings (loss) in subsidiaries, net of tax		(1,806.2)	(3,914.9)	(5,938.5)
Interest expense		0.0	0.0	0.0
Intercompany interest and fees		0.0	0.0	0.0
Other income/(expense), net		0.0	0.0	0.0
Earnings before income taxes	(1,719.6)	(1,806.2)	(3,914.9)	(5,938.5)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		0.0	0.0	0.0
Earnings from continuing operations	(1,719.6)	(1,806.2)	(3,914.9)	(5,938.5)
Discontinued operations, net of tax		0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings	(1,719.6)	(1,806.2)	(3,914.9)	(5,938.5)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests		0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	(1,719.6)	(1,806.2)	(3,914.9)	(5,938.5)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	(494.2)	(72.3)	(1,851.2)	(375.2)
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	$ (2,213.8)	$ (1,878.5)	$ (5,766.1)	$ (6,313.7)