Subsequent Event - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
	Apr. 04, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Business Combination Transaction-Related Expenses		$ 9.1
Effect Of Combination Related Expenses Per Diluted Share		$ 0.69
Business Combination Liabilities		$ 8.9	$ 0.5
Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Subsequent Event Description	On April 4, 2017, Quaker entered into a share purchase agreement with Gulf Houghton Lubricants, Ltd. to purchase the entire issued and outstanding share capital of Houghton (“the Combination”). The shares will be bought for aggregate purchase consideration consisting of: (i) $172.5 million in cash; (ii) a number of shares of common stock, $1.00 par value per share, of the Company comprising 24.5% of the common stock outstanding upon the closing of the Combination; and (iii) the Company’s assumption of Houghton’s net indebtedness as of the closing of the Combination, which is estimated to be approximately $690 million. The total purchase consideration reflects an enterprise value for Houghton of approximately $1.42 billion. The Company has secured approximately $1.15 billion in commitments from Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Deutsche Bank to fund the Combination and provide additional liquidity. The Company expects to replace these commitments with a syndicated bank agreement with customary terms and conditions during the second quarter of 2017. In addition, the issuance of the Company’s shares at closing of the Combination is subject to approval by Quaker’s shareholders under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange. The Company expects to seek such approval of the share issuance at a meeting of the Company’s shareholders in the near future. Also, the Combination is subject to regulatory approval in the United States, Europe and certain countries in Asia/Pacific. Depending on shareholder and regulatory approval noted above, as well as other customary terms and conditions set forth in the share purchase agreement, Quaker currently estimates closing of the Combination to occur either in the fourth quarter of 2017 or the first quarter of 2018.