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

The number of years after put options commence when additional put options occur on each anniversary thereafter until final maturity.

No definition available.

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

The number of years after date of issuance that put options commence.

No definition available.

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

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

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

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=mmm_FloatingRateNotesDue2027And2040And2041Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=mmm_FloatingRateNoteDue2044Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

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