Name:	ecl_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableDueAfterSixthYear
Namespace Prefix:	ecl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Future rental payments receivable within the sixth year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.

No definition available.

Name:	ecl_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableInSixYears
Namespace Prefix:	ecl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Future minimum rental payments in aggregate as of the balance sheet date under operating leases.

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Future rental payments receivable within the fifth year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	instant

Future rental payments receivable within the fourth year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Future rental payments receivable within the third year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableInThreeYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Future rental payments receivable within the second year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableInTwoYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of required minimum rental payments receivable in the remainder of the fiscal year following the latest fiscal year ended for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableRemainderOfFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

The total amount of revenue recognized for the period from operating leases, including minimum lease revenue, contingent revenue, percentage revenue and sublease revenue.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77902458&loc=d3e39896-112707

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesIncomeStatementLeaseRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesIncomeStatementLeaseRevenueAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Useful life of long lived, physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Examples include, but not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The amount of accumulated depreciation, by major property class, recorded on property subject to or available for lease as of the balance sheet date.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84164653&loc=d3e41551-112718

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77907726&loc=d3e41460-112716

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

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_PropertySubjectToOrAvailableForOperatingLeaseLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The amount of property, by major property class, net of accumulated depreciation, subject to or available for lease as of the balance sheet date.

Name:	us-gaap_PropertySubjectToOrAvailableForOperatingLeaseNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Name:	us-gaap_MajorPropertyClassAxis=us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_PropertySubjectToOrAvailableForOperatingLeaseAxis=us-gaap_PropertySubjectToOperatingLeaseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
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