Income Taxes (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Effective income tax rate (as a percent)	27.60%	31.90%
Recognized discrete tax expense, net	$ 2.6ecl_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitNetExpense	$ 9.9ecl_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitNetExpense
Valuation allowance on deferred tax asset	$ 67		$ 74
Forecast
Approximate amount of the valuation allowance to be released (as a percent)	50.00%

Represents the percentage of the valuation allowance expected to be released, or realized.

No definition available.

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- Definition

This element represents the amount of a recognized net discrete tax expense primarily due to the impact of a charge related to the realizability of foreign net operating loss carryforwards, partially offset by settlements related to prior year tax returns.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be realized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32537-109319

+ Details

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- Definition

Percentage of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 12

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32687-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 13

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32698-109319

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(2))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 08

-Paragraph h

-Subparagraph 2

-Article 4

+ Details

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