No definition available.

Name:	ctas_EarningsPerShareBasicAndDilutedLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ctas_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) or earnings per unit (EPU) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS or EPU because to do so would increase EPS or EPU amounts or decrease loss per share or unit amounts for the period presented.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Antidilution

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505113

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Diluted Earnings Per Share

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6510752

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Contingent Stock Agreement

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6508534

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 260

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Per basic and diluted share amount, after tax, of income (loss) from the day-to-day business activities of the discontinued operation and gain (loss) from the disposal of the discontinued operation, when the per share amount is the same.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTaxPerBasicAndDilutedShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of stock repurchase plan authorized.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total cost of shares repurchased divided by the total number of shares repurchased.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6405813&loc=d3e23239-112655

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of shares that have been repurchased during the period and are being held in treasury.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 29, 30

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Article 3

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Equity impact of the cost of common and preferred stock that were repurchased during the period. Recorded using the cost method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6405813&loc=d3e23239-112655

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualShareBasedPaymentsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis=ctas_EmployeePayrollTaxesDueOnRestrictedStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis=ctas_BuybackProgramJanuary2015Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis=ctas_BuybackProgramAugust2015Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Earnings Per Share - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Aug. 04, 2015	Oct. 09, 2015	Aug. 31, 2015	Aug. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Jan. 13, 2015
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Line Items]
Basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share from discontinued operations (dollars per share)			$ (0.05)	$ 0.04
Options granted and excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share (shares)			0.5	0.6
Common stock purchased under share buyback	1.4		2.4
Common stock purchased under a share buyback, average price per share			$ 85.65
Aggregate purchase price of common stock under a share buyback program	$ 120,000,000		$ 202,500,000
Employee payroll taxes due on restricted stock
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Line Items]
Common stock purchased under share buyback			0.2
Common stock purchased under a share buyback, average price per share			$ 85.54
Aggregate purchase price of common stock under a share buyback program			$ 19,100,000
January 13, 2015
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Line Items]
Share buyback program, authorized amount						$ 500,000,000.0
August 4, 2015
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Line Items]
Share buyback program, authorized amount	$ 500,000,000.0
Subsequent Event
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Line Items]
Common stock purchased under share buyback		2.1			5.9
Common stock purchased under a share buyback, average price per share					$ 84.07
Aggregate purchase price of common stock under a share buyback program		$ 180,400,000			$ 500,000,000