Details of Certain Consolidated Balance Sheet Captions (Retirement Obligations and Other Liabilities) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Details of Certain Consolidated Balance Sheet Captions [Abstract]
Pension and postretirement benefits	$ 199,603	$ 183,012
Deferred taxes	163,084	159,404
Operating lease liabilities	151,523
Legal and environmental	28,593	21,949
Uncertain tax positions and other tax liabilities	42,086	57,553
Other	39,929	37,775
Retirement obligations and other liabilities	624,818
Retirement obligations and other liabilities	$ 473,295	$ 459,693

Details of Certain Consolidated Balance Sheet Captions [Abstract]

No definition available.

Name:	fls_DetailsOfCertainConsolidatedBalanceSheetCaptionsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	fls_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For a classified balance sheet, the carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of the portion of the obligations recognized for the various post employment and postretirement benefits provided to former or inactive employees, their beneficiaries, and covered dependents that is payable after one year (or beyond the operating cycle if longer. Aggregate carrying amount, as of the balance sheet date, of noncurrent obligations not separately disclosed in the balance sheet due to materiality considerations. Noncurrent liabilities are expected to be paid after one year (or the normal operating cycle, if longer).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	fls_RetirementObligationsAndOtherLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	fls_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Retirement Obligations, Other Liabilities, And Lease Liabilities

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	fls_RetirementObligationsOtherLiabilitiesAndLeaseLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	fls_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value of the obligation (known or estimated) arising from requirements to perform activities to remediate one or more sites, payable after twelve months or beyond the next operating cycle if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.24)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 410
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6393242&loc=d3e13207-110859

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 410
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-Subparagraph (d)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6393242&loc=d3e13237-110859

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118942415&loc=d3e14326-108349

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccruedEnvironmentalLossContingenciesNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, after deferred tax asset, of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable differences, with jurisdictional netting and classified as noncurrent.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116821951&loc=d3e31917-109318

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116821951&loc=d3e31931-109318

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 9
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116821951&loc=d3e31958-109318

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount recognized for uncertainty in income taxes classified as noncurrent.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilityForUncertainTaxPositionsNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from operating lease, classified as noncurrent.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888419&loc=SL77918627-209977

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeaseLiabilityNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of liabilities classified as other, due after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of liability, recognized in statement of financial position, for defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans, classified as noncurrent.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109237824&loc=d3e1703-114919

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109237824&loc=d3e1731-114919

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(24))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementDefinedBenefitPlansLiabilitiesNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant