The amount of acquisition for the remaining non-controlling interest of a subsidiary.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_AmountOfAcquistionForRemainingNoncontrollingInterest
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The acquired remaining percentage of Sumitomo 3M Limited from Sumitomo Electric Industries.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mmm_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParentAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The ownership percent of the subsidiary held by the entity before the transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mmm_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParentBeforeTransaction
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This percentage relates to an amendment to Indian securities regulation that requires a minimum of 25% of public shareholding to remain compliant and continue to list on their local exchange for an entity (3M India Limited).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mmm_PercentageRequiredByAmendmentIndianRegulatoryForSaleOfShares
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- 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

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

- Definition

The parent entity's interest in net assets of the subsidiary, expressed as a percentage.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase in noncontrolling interest from sale of a portion of the parent's controlling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18733093&loc=SL4573702-111684

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 23
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51664549&loc=SL4569655-111683

+ Details

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

- Definition

Percentage of subsidiary's or equity method investee's stock owned by parent immediately after all stock transactions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsidiaryOrEquityMethodInvesteeCumulativePercentageOwnershipAfterAllTransactions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_CommonStockIncludingAdditionalPaidInCapitalMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_NoncontrollingInterestMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=mmm_India3MLimitedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=mmm_Sumitomo3MLimitedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Supplemental Equity and Comprehensive Income Information - NCI (Details) $ in Millions, ¥ in Billions	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014 JPY (¥)	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Transactions with 3M subsidiaries that have non controlling interests
Sale of subsidiary shares			$ 8
Common Stock and Additional Paid-in Capital
Transactions with 3M subsidiaries that have non controlling interests
Sale of subsidiary shares			7
Noncontrolling Interest
Transactions with 3M subsidiaries that have non controlling interests
Sale of subsidiary shares			$ 1
3M India Limited
Transactions with 3M subsidiaries that have non controlling interests
3M's effective ownership after transaction		75.00%
Minority Interest Ownership Percentage By Parent Before Transaction		76.00%
Minimum percentage of public shareholding required by an amendment to Indian Securities regulations to comply with the sale of shares for 3M India Limited		25.00%
Sale of subsidiary shares		$ 8
Sumitomo 3M Limited
Transactions with 3M subsidiaries that have non controlling interests
3M's effective ownership after transaction (as a percent)	100.00%
Percent of interest acquired of Sumitomo 3M Limited	25.00%
Amount of acquisition for remaining non-controlling interest \| ¥	¥ 90