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Income Taxes (Details 3) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Reconciliation of Effective Income Tax Rate      
Effective tax rate (as a percent) 29.50%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations 27.40%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations  
Income tax      
Net UTB impacting the effective tax rate $ 268us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate   $ 265us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate
Period discussed over which the Company is not able to reasonably estimate the amount by which the liability for unrecognized tax benefits could change as a result of ongoing income tax authority examinations 12 months    
Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits, expense (benefit) recognized on a gross basis 2us-gaap_TaxAdjustmentsSettlementsAndUnusualProvisions (15)us-gaap_TaxAdjustmentsSettlementsAndUnusualProvisions  
Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits, accrued on a gross basis 46us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued   44us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued
Change in effective income tax rate from prior reporting period to current reporting period (as a percent) 2.10%mmm_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateChangeFromPriorReportingPeriodToCurrentReportingPeriod    
Impact of factors that increased the effective tax rate from prior reporting period to current reporting period (as a percent) 2.10%mmm_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateChangeFromPriorReportingPeriodToCurrentReportingPeriodIncrease    
Deferred tax assets valuation allowance $ 22us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance   $ 22us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance