Supplemental Guarantor Information (Condensed Consolidating Income Statement) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2013	Feb. 28, 2013	Nov. 30, 2012	Aug. 31, 2012	May 31, 2012	Feb. 29, 2012	Nov. 30, 2011	Aug. 31, 2011	May 31, 2013	May 31, 2012	May 31, 2011
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products									$ 3,044,587	$ 2,912,261	$ 2,692,248
Other services									1,271,884	1,189,739	1,118,136
Equity in net income of affiliates									0	0	0
Total revenue	1,129,086	1,075,674	1,060,386	1,051,325	1,053,582	1,012,112	1,019,126	1,017,180	4,316,471	4,102,000	3,810,384
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products									1,756,297	1,648,551	1,530,456
Cost of other services									773,107	714,841	670,641
Selling and administrative expenses									1,221,856	1,198,981	1,168,944
Operating income									565,211	539,627	440,343
Interest income									(409)	(1,942)	(2,030)
Interest expense (income)									65,712	70,625	49,704
Income before income taxes									499,908	470,944	392,669
Income taxes									184,466	173,307	145,680
Net income	85,977	74,705	78,027	76,733	78,614	76,035	74,350	68,638	315,442	297,637	246,989
Cintas Corporation [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products									0	0	0
Other services									0	0	0
Equity in net income of affiliates									315,442	297,637	246,989
Total revenue									315,442	297,637	246,989
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products									0	0	0
Cost of other services									0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses									0	0	0
Operating income									315,442	297,637	246,989
Interest income									0	0	0
Interest expense (income)									0	0	0
Income before income taxes									315,442	297,637	246,989
Income taxes									0	0	0
Net income									315,442	297,637	246,989
Corp. 2 [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products									2,314,386	2,233,085	2,069,895
Other services									1,587,000	1,488,163	1,395,119
Equity in net income of affiliates									0	0	0
Total revenue									3,901,386	3,721,248	3,465,014
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products									1,454,791	1,386,320	1,305,908
Cost of other services									1,016,074	955,148	876,359
Selling and administrative expenses									1,210,755	1,184,888	1,065,037
Operating income									219,766	194,892	217,710
Interest income									(40)	(111,631)	(589)
Interest expense (income)									66,584	72,212	52,357
Income before income taxes									153,222	234,311	165,942
Income taxes									54,474	68,752	60,028
Net income									98,748	165,559	105,914
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products									616,726	574,950	531,525
Other services									31,210	28,660	340,063
Equity in net income of affiliates									0	0	0
Total revenue									647,936	603,610	871,588
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products									392,134	362,803	330,442
Cost of other services									(12,694)	(13,649)	316,650
Selling and administrative expenses									(66,640)	(69,882)	17,270
Operating income									335,136	324,338	207,226
Interest income									(272)	(589)	(697)
Interest expense (income)									(875)	(1,543)	(2,687)
Income before income taxes									336,283	326,470	210,610
Income taxes									119,556	95,793	76,186
Net income									216,727	230,677	134,424
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products									220,946	210,683	196,380
Other services									124,234	117,791	109,634
Equity in net income of affiliates									0	0	0
Total revenue									345,180	328,474	306,014
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products									155,490	145,293	132,463
Cost of other services									77,103	73,130	67,997
Selling and administrative expenses									97,646	(145,953)	92,839
Operating income									14,941	256,004	12,715
Interest income									(28,334)	(190,345)	(100,777)
Interest expense (income)									3	(44)	34
Income before income taxes									43,272	446,393	113,458
Income taxes									10,479	8,814	9,494
Net income									32,793	437,579	103,964
Eliminations [Member]
Revenue:
Rental uniforms and ancillary products									(107,471)	(106,457)	(105,552)
Other services									(470,560)	(444,875)	(726,680)
Equity in net income of affiliates									(315,442)	(297,637)	(246,989)
Total revenue									(893,473)	(848,969)	(1,079,221)
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products									(246,118)	(245,865)	(238,357)
Cost of other services									(307,376)	(299,788)	(590,365)
Selling and administrative expenses									(19,905)	229,928	(6,202)
Operating income									(320,074)	(533,244)	(244,297)
Interest income									28,237	300,623	100,033
Interest expense (income)									0	0	0
Income before income taxes									(348,311)	(833,867)	(344,330)
Income taxes									(43)	(52)	(28)
Net income									$ (348,268)	$ (833,815)	$ (344,302)