Supplemental Guarantor Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2013	Feb. 29, 2012	Feb. 28, 2013	Feb. 29, 2012
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	$ 748,887	$ 721,012	$ 2,259,569	$ 2,163,224
Other services	326,787	291,100	927,816	885,194
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	1,075,674	1,012,112	3,187,385	3,048,418
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	434,809	409,958	1,301,859	1,223,611
Cost of other services	198,924	176,251	565,674	530,067
Selling and administrative expenses	308,918	288,367	908,512	895,945
Operating income	133,023	137,536	411,340	398,795
Interest income	(132)	(373)	(358)	(1,141)
Interest expense (income)	16,302	17,219	49,194	52,281
Income before income taxes	116,853	120,690	362,504	347,655
Income taxes	42,148	44,655	133,039	128,632
Net income	74,705	76,035	229,465	219,023
Cintas Corporation [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	0	0	0	0
Other services	0	0	0	0
Equity in net income of affiliates	74,705	76,035	229,465	219,023
Total revenue	74,705	76,035	229,465	219,023
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	0	0	0	0
Cost of other services	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	74,705	76,035	229,465	219,023
Interest income	0	0	0	0
Interest expense (income)	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	74,705	76,035	229,465	219,023
Income taxes	0	0	0	0
Net income	74,705	76,035	229,465	219,023
Corp. 2 [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	565,731	550,167	1,717,290	1,662,058
Other services	394,957	361,849	1,151,628	1,087,507
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	960,688	912,016	2,868,918	2,749,565
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	367,447	350,615	1,099,289	1,053,496
Cost of other services	247,942	240,568	740,797	698,073
Selling and administrative expenses	295,643	286,257	866,546	828,080
Operating income	49,656	34,576	162,286	169,916
Interest income	(2)	(54)	(33)	(211)
Interest expense (income)	16,480	17,559	49,323	53,148
Income before income taxes	33,178	17,071	112,996	116,979
Income taxes	9,981	7,114	39,236	44,011
Net income	23,197	9,957	73,760	72,968
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	151,595	141,867	457,183	425,455
Other services	9,679	8,504	31,188	40,176
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	161,274	150,371	488,371	465,631
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	85,481	80,270	269,837	248,561
Cost of other services	2,733	(5,902)	(6,633)	(4,168)
Selling and administrative expenses	(4,592)	(17,100)	(15,754)	6,297
Operating income	77,652	93,103	240,921	214,941
Interest income	(86)	(280)	(247)	(518)
Interest expense (income)	(175)	(333)	(126)	(1,214)
Income before income taxes	77,913	93,716	241,294	216,673
Income taxes	23,901	36,109	83,784	81,518
Net income	54,012	57,607	157,510	135,155
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	55,906	52,652	165,060	156,511
Other services	31,950	27,785	90,292	86,425
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	87,856	80,437	255,352	242,936
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	39,108	35,984	114,651	107,163
Cost of other services	19,605	17,532	55,877	53,662
Selling and administrative expenses	24,972	22,926	72,978	71,391
Operating income	4,171	3,995	11,846	10,720
Interest income	(44)	(202)	(78)	(575)
Interest expense (income)	(3)	(7)	(3)	347
Income before income taxes	4,218	4,204	11,927	10,948
Income taxes	8,272	1,438	10,042	3,121
Net income	(4,054)	2,766	1,885	7,827
Eliminations [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products	(24,345)	(23,674)	(79,964)	(80,800)
Other services	(109,799)	(107,038)	(345,292)	(328,914)
Equity in net income of affiliates	(74,705)	(76,035)	(229,465)	(219,023)
Total revenue	(208,849)	(206,747)	(654,721)	(628,737)
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products	(57,227)	(56,911)	(181,918)	(185,609)
Cost of other services	(71,356)	(75,947)	(224,367)	(217,500)
Selling and administrative expenses	(7,105)	(3,716)	(15,258)	(9,823)
Operating income	(73,161)	(70,173)	(233,178)	(215,805)
Interest income	0	163	0	163
Interest expense (income)	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	(73,161)	(70,336)	(233,178)	(215,968)
Income taxes	(6)	(6)	(23)	(18)
Net income	$ (73,155)	$ (70,330)	$ (233,155)	$ (215,950)