Estimated time commercial court may take to render decision.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_EstimatedDurationCommercialCourtMayTakeToRenderDecision
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of customers who obtained an order in the French Courts against 3M Purification SAS.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mmm_LossContingencyCustomersWhoObtainedOrderInFrenchCourtsAgainst3MPurificationSASNumber
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of new lawsuits filed related to a loss contingency.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mmm_LossContingencyLawsuitsFiledNumber
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This is the potential impact (minimum) due to an expert witness appointed by the court to review possible product defects.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mmm_LossContingencyPotentialAmountDueToProductDefect
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the amount of legal cases still Pending.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mmm_NumberOfCasesStillPending
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of loss contingency liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of claims settled.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsSettledNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=mmm_ProductLiabilityFiltersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=mmm_ProductLiabilityLitigationEDFMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=mmm_ProductLiabilityBairHuggerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Commitments and Contingencies - Product Liability (Details) - 3 months ended Mar. 31, 2016 € in Millions	EUR (€) case lawsuit item claim	USD ($)
Product Liability - Filters
Product Liability Litigation
Number of customers who obtained an order in the French Courts against 3M Purification SAS \| item	1
Number of cases still pending \| case	2
Number of other customers the Company has resolved claims with \| claim	2
Product Liability Litigation - EDF
Product Liability Litigation
Amount of potential damages (minimum) EDF incurred as stated by court appointed expert witness \| €	€ 100
Product Liability Litigation - EDF \| Maximum
Product Liability Litigation
Estimated time commercial court may take to render decision	6 months
Product Liability Litigation - EDF \| Minimum
Product Liability Litigation
Estimated time commercial court may take to render decision	1 year
Product liability - Bair Hugger
Product Liability Litigation
Number of lawsuits filed \| lawsuit	260
Accrued loss contingency reserve \| $		$ 0