Goodwill and Intangible Assets (Goodwill balance by business segment) (Details)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Goodwill Information
Number of business combinations completed | item			0
Purchased goodwill from acquisitions				$ 1,302,000,000
Goodwill acquired during the period which is deductible for tax purposes				0
Increase (decrease) in goodwill related to preliminary allocation of purchase price for prior acquisitions			$ 7,000,000
Goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period		$ 10,513,000,000	10,513,000,000	9,166,000,000
Acquisition activity			7,000,000	1,302,000,000
Divestiture activity			(272,000,000)	(323,000,000)
Translation and other			(197,000,000)	368,000,000
Balance at the end of the period	$ 10,051,000,000		10,051,000,000	10,513,000,000	$ 9,166,000,000
Amount of Goodwill impairment	0	0		0	0
Industrial
Goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period		2,678,000,000	2,678,000,000	2,536,000,000
Divestiture activity			(4,000,000)
Translation and other			(60,000,000)	142,000,000
Balance at the end of the period	2,614,000,000		2,614,000,000	2,678,000,000	2,536,000,000
Safety And Graphics
Goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period		4,419,000,000	4,419,000,000	3,324,000,000
Acquisition activity			7,000,000	1,296,000,000
Divestiture activity			(8,000,000)	(323,000,000)
Translation and other			(93,000,000)	122,000,000
Balance at the end of the period	4,325,000,000		4,325,000,000	4,419,000,000	3,324,000,000
Health Care
Goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period		1,682,000,000	1,682,000,000	1,609,000,000
Acquisition activity				6,000,000
Translation and other			(28,000,000)	67,000,000
Balance at the end of the period	1,654,000,000		1,654,000,000	1,682,000,000	1,609,000,000
Electronics And Energy
Goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period		1,524,000,000	1,524,000,000	1,489,000,000
Divestiture activity			(260,000,000)
Translation and other			(14,000,000)	35,000,000
Balance at the end of the period	1,250,000,000		1,250,000,000	1,524,000,000	1,489,000,000
Consumer
Goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period		$ 210,000,000	210,000,000	208,000,000
Translation and other			(2,000,000)	2,000,000
Balance at the end of the period	$ 208,000,000		$ 208,000,000	$ 210,000,000	$ 208,000,000