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Restructuring program cost, after tax Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost, After Tax Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost, After Tax Other Liabilities Disclosure [Abstract] Aggregate Pension Adjustments Service Cost Aggregate Pension Adjustments Service Cost [Member] Basic EPS Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic Compensation Actually Paid vs. Other Measure Compensation Actually Paid vs. Other Measure [Text Block] Loss Contingency [Abstract] Loss Contingency [Abstract] Total current liabilities Liabilities, Current Vesting Date Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted and Vested in Covered Year Vesting Date Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted and Vested in Covered Year [Member] Shares (millions) Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted [Abstract] Total assets Assets Supplier Finance Program Supplier Finance Program [Text Block] Other liabilities Other Liabilities, Noncurrent Forgone Recovery due to Violation of Home Country Law, Amount Forgone Recovery due to Violation of Home Country Law, Amount 0.500% Notes due 2026 0.500% Notes Due 2026 [Member] 0.500% Notes Due 2026 [Member] Termination Date Trading Arrangement Termination Date Number of dividends declared per quarter Number Of Dividends Declared Per Quarter Number of Dividends Declared Per Quarter Entity Address, City or Town Entity Address, City or Town Net income attributable to Colgate-Palmolive Company Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent Other (income) expense, net Other Operating Income (Expense), Net Trading Arrangement: Trading Arrangement [Axis] Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Comprehensive Income (Loss) Note [Text Block] Pay vs Performance Disclosure, Table Pay vs Performance [Table Text Block] Loss Contingencies [Table] Loss Contingencies [Table] Equity Awards Adjustments, Excluding Value Reported in Compensation Table Equity Awards Adjustments, Excluding Value Reported in the Compensation Table [Member] Property, plant and equipment: Property, Plant and Equipment, Net [Abstract] Dividends or Other Earnings Paid on Equity Awards not Otherwise Reflected in Total Compensation for Covered Year Dividends or Other Earnings Paid on Equity Awards not Otherwise Reflected in Total Compensation for Covered Year [Member] Net investment hedges [Abstract] Summary of Net Investment Hedge Activity [Abstract] Entity File Number Entity File Number International International [Member] International Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Cash Flow Hedge, Gain (Loss), after Reclassification and Tax Document Fiscal Year Focus Document Fiscal Year Focus Noncontrolling Interests Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Income Statement [Abstract] Income Statement [Abstract] Entity Address, Address Line One Entity Address, Address Line One Product Concentration Risk Product Concentration Risk [Member] Treasury stock acquired Treasury Stock, Value, Acquired, Cost Method Foreign exchange Restructuring Reserve, Foreign Currency Translation Gain (Loss) Effect of exchange rate changes on Cash and cash equivalents Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash, and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Continuing Operations Dividends Dividends, Common Stock Loss contingency, number of petitions to remove penalty portion of the claim Loss Contingency, Number of Petitions to Remove Penalty Portion of Claim Loss Contingency, Number of Petitions to Remove Penalty Portion of Claim Brazilian internal revenue authority, matter 1 Tax Assessments With Interest The amount of tax assessment with estimated interest accrued as of the balance sheet date arising from income tax examinations related to an acquisition. Restructuring Plan [Domain] Restructuring Plan [Domain] Other accruals Other Accrued Liabilities, Current Name Forgone Recovery, Individual Name Document Period End Date Document Period End Date Finished goods Inventory, Finished Goods, Net of Reserves Award Timing MNPI Considered Award Timing MNPI Considered [Flag] Insider Trading Arrangements [Line Items] Withholding tax reserves, prior year reversals Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Decrease Resulting from Prior Period Tax Positions Outstanding Aggregate Erroneous Compensation Amount Outstanding Aggregate Erroneous Compensation Amount Derivative and Financial Instruments, Fair Value [Line Items] Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] Other current assets Other Current Assets [Member] PEO Actually Paid Compensation Amount PEO Actually Paid Compensation Amount Other postretirement charges Defined Benefit Plan, Other Cost (Credit) Cost of sales Cost of Revenue Adjustment to Compensation: Adjustment to Compensation [Axis] Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Foreign currency contracts Foreign Currency Contracts Foreign Exchange Contract [Member] Document Transition Report Document Transition Report Document Quarterly Report Document Quarterly Report Latin America Latin America [Member] Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax Entity Current Reporting Status Entity Current Reporting Status Retained Earnings Retained Earnings [Member] Pension Adjustments Service Cost Pension Adjustments Service Cost [Member] ERISA litigation matter ERISA litigation matter Litigation Settlement, Fee Expense Basic EPS (in shares) Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic Stock Price or TSR Estimation Method Stock Price or TSR Estimation Method [Text Block] Effective income tax rate, full year (percent) Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Full Year Estimated Percent Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Full Year Estimated Percent Non-current inventory, net Inventory, Noncurrent Total equity Beginning balance Ending balance Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest North America North America [Member] Changes in Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward] Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward] Executive Category: Executive Category [Axis] Name Awards Close in Time to MNPI Disclosures, Individual Name Net Sales Revenue Benchmark [Member] Entity Filer Category Entity Filer Category Balance Balance Restructuring Reserve Income Statement Location [Domain] Statement of Income Location, Balance [Domain] Loss Contingencies [Line Items] Loss Contingencies [Line Items] Company Selected Measure Name Company Selected Measure Name