The number of consecutive quarters over which the ratio of required EBITDA to Interest Ratio is calculated.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_EBITDAToInterestRatioCalculatedConsecutiveQuarters
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of the maximum increase available that is subject to lender approval.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mmm_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumIncreaseAvailableSubjectToLenderApproval
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Borrowing capacity of existing credit facility before amendment to new credit facility.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mmm_LineOfCreditFacilityPriorBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The required minimum EBITDA to interest ratio is calculated as the ratio of consolidated total EBITDA for the four consecutive quarters then ended to total interest expense on all funded debt for the same period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Ratio applied to the conversion of debt instrument into equity with equity shares divided by debt principal amount.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21521-112644

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21506-112644

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(5))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21475-112644

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentConvertibleConversionRatio1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

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

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

- Definition

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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of current borrowing capacity under the credit facility considering any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed (for example, borrowings may be limited by the amount of current assets), but without considering any amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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

- Definition

Maximum amount borrowed under the credit facility at any time during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MeasurementInputTypeAxis=us-gaap_MeasurementInputEbitdaMultipleMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=mmm_JapanSubsidiaryCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=mmm_CreditFacilityExpiring2020Member
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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Long-Term Debt and Short-Term Borrowings - Credit Facilities (Details) € in Millions, $ in Millions, ¥ in Billions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2019 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2019 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 JPY (¥)	Nov. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 JPY (¥)
The five-year credit facility and the 364-day credit facilities.
Debt instrument
Principal amount			$ 3,000
Term of debt instrument	5 years	5 years	5 years	5 years
Credit facility amount prior to new agreement					$ 3,750
Current borrowing capacity			$ 3,000
Maximum increase available subject to lender approval			1,000
Maximum borrowing capacity including portion subject to lender approval			4,000
364-day credit facility
Debt instrument
Principal amount			$ 1,250
Term of debt instrument		364 days	364 days	364 days
Current borrowing capacity			$ 1,250
Stand alone letters of credit and bank guarantees
Debt instrument
Amount of stand alone letters of credit and bank guarantees outstanding utilized in connection with normal business activities			$ 268
EBITDA Multiple Measurement Input \| The five-year credit facility and the 364-day credit facilities
Debt instrument
Required minimum EBITDA to Interest Ratio			3.0
Number of consecutive quarters over which the ratio of required EBITDA to Interest Ratio is calculated		4	4	4
Actual EBITDA to Interest Ratio		17	17	17
Japan subsidiary credit facility \| Credit Facility expiring July 2020
Debt instrument
Principal amount \| ¥						¥ 80
Maximum credit facility outstanding during period			$ 632	¥ 69
Germany subsidiary credit facility \| Credit Facility expiring November 2020
Debt instrument
Principal amount \| €	€ 150
Maximum credit facility outstanding during period		€ 150	$ 168