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.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of an entity's restructuring reserve that occurred during the period associated with the exit from or disposal of business activities or restructurings for each major type of cost. This element may also include a description of any reversal and other adjustment made during the period to the amount of an accrued liability for restructuring activities. This element may be used to encapsulate the roll forward presentations of an entity's restructuring reserve by type of cost and in total, and explanation of changes that occurred in the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 420
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394359&loc=d3e17939-110869

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 420
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.P.4(b)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115931487&loc=d3e140904-122747

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfRestructuringReserveByTypeOfCostTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of the nature and financial statement effect of an event or transaction that is unusual in nature or infrequent in occurrence, or both.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114868883&loc=SL114871943-224233

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfUnusualOrInfrequentItemsTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringPlanAxis=ecl_InstitutionalAdvancementProgramMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringPlanAxis=ecl_RestructuringPlan2018Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: