2.4.1.9 Html 204 246 1 true 64 0 false 7 false false R1.htm 0001000 - Document - Document and Entity Information Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/DocumentAndEntityInformation Document and Entity Information false false R2.htm 1001000 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/CondensedConsolidatedStatementsOfIncomeUnaudited CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited) false false R3.htm 1002000 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (Unaudited) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/CondensedConsolidatedStatementsOfComprehensiveIncomeUnaudited CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (Unaudited) true false R4.htm 1003000 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/CondensedConsolidatedBalanceSheetsUnaudited CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) false false R5.htm 1003001 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) (Parentheticals) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/CondensedConsolidatedBalanceSheetsUnauditedParentheticals CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) (Parentheticals) false false R6.htm 1005000 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/CondensedConsolidatedStatementsOfCashFlowsUnaudited CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited) false false R7.htm 2101100 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/BasisOfPresentation Basis of Presentation false false R8.htm 2102100 - Disclosure - Use of Estimates Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/UseOfEstimates Use of Estimates false false R9.htm 2104100 - Disclosure - Recent Accounting Pronouncements Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/RecentAccountingPronouncements Recent Accounting Pronouncements false false R10.htm 2105100 - Disclosure - Acquisitions and Divestitures Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/AcquisitionsAndDivestitures Acquisitions and Divestitures false false R11.htm 2106100 - Disclosure - Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/RestructuringAndRelatedImplementationCharges Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges false false R12.htm 2107100 - Disclosure - Inventories Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/Inventories Inventories false false R13.htm 2108100 - Disclosure - Shareholders' Equity Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/ShareholdersEquity Shareholders' Equity false false R14.htm 2109100 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/EarningsPerShare Earnings Per Share false false R15.htm 2111100 - Disclosure - Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/OtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) false false R16.htm 2112100 - Disclosure - Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/RetirementPlansAndOtherRetireeBenefits Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits false false R17.htm 2114100 - Disclosure - Contingencies Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/Contingencies Contingencies false false R18.htm 2115100 - Disclosure - Segment Information Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/SegmentInformation Segment Information false false R19.htm 2116100 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/FairValueMeasurementsAndFinancialInstruments Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments false false R20.htm 2117100 - Disclosure - Venezuela Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/Venezuela Venezuela false false R21.htm 2306301 - Disclosure - Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges (Tables) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/RestructuringAndRelatedImplementationChargesTables Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges (Tables) false false R22.htm 2307301 - Disclosure - Inventories (Tables) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/InventoriesTables Inventories (Tables) false false R23.htm 2308301 - Disclosure - Shareholders' Equity (Tables) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/ShareholdersEquityTables Shareholders' Equity (Tables) false false R24.htm 2309301 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (Tables) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/EarningsPerShareTables Earnings Per Share (Tables) false false R25.htm 2311301 - Disclosure - Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Tables) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossTables Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Tables) false false R26.htm 2312301 - Disclosure - Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits (Tables) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/RetirementPlansAndOtherRetireeBenefitsTables Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits (Tables) false false R27.htm 2315301 - Disclosure - Segment Information (Tables) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/SegmentInformationTables Segment Information (Tables) false false R28.htm 2316301 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments (Tables) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/FairValueMeasurementsAndFinancialInstrumentsTables Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments (Tables) false false R29.htm 2405401 - Disclosure - Acquisitions and Divestitures (Details) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/AcquisitionsAndDivestituresDetails Acquisitions and Divestitures (Details) false false R30.htm 2406402 - Disclosure - Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges (Details) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/RestructuringAndRelatedImplementationChargesDetails Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges (Details) false false R31.htm 2406403 - Disclosure - Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges (Details 1) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/RestructuringAndRelatedImplementationChargesDetails1 Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges (Details 1) false false R32.htm 2406404 - Disclosure - Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges (Details 2) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/RestructuringAndRelatedImplementationChargesDetails2 Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges (Details 2) false false R33.htm 2406405 - Disclosure - Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges (Details 3) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/RestructuringAndRelatedImplementationChargesDetails3 Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges (Details 3) false false R34.htm 2406406 - Disclosure - Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges (Details 4) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/RestructuringAndRelatedImplementationChargesDetails4 Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges (Details 4) false false R35.htm 2407402 - Disclosure - Inventories (Details) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/InventoriesDetails Inventories (Details) false false R36.htm 2408402 - Disclosure - Shareholders' Equity (Details) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/ShareholdersEquityDetails Shareholders' Equity (Details) false false R37.htm 2409402 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (Details) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/EarningsPerShareDetails Earnings Per Share (Details) false false R38.htm 2411402 - Disclosure - Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossDetails Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) false false R39.htm 2412402 - Disclosure - Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits (Details) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/RetirementPlansAndOtherRetireeBenefitsDetails Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits (Details) false false R40.htm 2414401 - Disclosure - Contingencies (Details) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/ContingenciesDetails Contingencies (Details) false false R41.htm 2415402 - Disclosure - Segment Information (Details) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/SegmentInformationDetails Segment Information (Details) false false R42.htm 2416402 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments (Details 1) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/FairValueMeasurementsAndFinancialInstrumentsDetails1 Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments (Details 1) false false R43.htm 2416403 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments (Details 2) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/FairValueMeasurementsAndFinancialInstrumentsDetails2 Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments (Details 2) false false R44.htm 2416404 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments (Details 3) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/FairValueMeasurementsAndFinancialInstrumentsDetails3 Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments (Details 3) false false R45.htm 2416405 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments (Details 4) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/FairValueMeasurementsAndFinancialInstrumentsDetails4 Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments (Details 4) false false R46.htm 2416406 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments (Details 5) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/FairValueMeasurementsAndFinancialInstrumentsDetails5 Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments (Details 5) false false R47.htm 2417401 - Disclosure - Venezuela (Details) Sheet http://www.colgate.com/role/VenezuelaDetails Venezuela (Details) false false All Reports Book All Reports 'Shares' elements on report '2409402 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. Process Flow-Through: 1001000 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited) Process Flow-Through: 1002000 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (Unaudited) Process Flow-Through: 1003000 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) Process Flow-Through: Removing column 'Mar. 31, 2014' Process Flow-Through: Removing column 'Dec. 31, 2013' Process Flow-Through: 1003001 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) (Parentheticals) Process Flow-Through: 1005000 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited) cl-20150331.xml cl-20150331.xsd cl-20150331_cal.xml cl-20150331_def.xml cl-20150331_lab.xml cl-20150331_pre.xml true true