COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2023 location plaintiff	Jun. 01, 2022 USD ($)
Loss contingencies
Estimated settlement		$ 500
Environmental matters
Number of locations for environmental assessments and remediation \| location	25
Nalco Holding Company ("Nalco")
Loss contingencies
Estimated settlement		30
Number of plaintiffs having claims \| plaintiff	5,000
Maximum \| Nalco Holding Company ("Nalco")
Loss contingencies
Estimated possible loss		520
Minimum \| Nalco Holding Company ("Nalco")
Loss contingencies
Estimated possible loss		$ 152

Reflects the estimated settlement amount of loss from the specified contingency as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Represents the number of locations for environmental assessments and remediation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ecl_NumberOfLocationsForEnvironmentalAssessmentsAndRemediation
Namespace Prefix:	ecl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

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.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482425/460-10-50-3

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-4

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-4

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-9

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-9

+ Details

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

- Definition

Reflects the estimated amount of loss from the specified contingency as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of plaintiffs that have filed claims pertaining to a loss contingency.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-4

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-9

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyNumberOfPlaintiffs
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=ecl_NalcoHoldingCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: