Increase (decrease) in net sales due to product changes between business segments.

No definition available.

Name:	mmm_IncreaseDecreaseInNetSalesDueToProductChangesBetweenBusinessSegments
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Increase (decrease) in operating income due to product line reporting change.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mmm_IncreaseDecreaseInOperatingIncomeDueToProductChangesBetweenBusinessSegments
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the number of business segments that had product line reporting changes in the period referenced.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mmm_NumberOfBusinessSegmentsWithProductLineReportingChanges
Namespace Prefix:	mmm_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=mmm_IndustrialMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=mmm_ElectronicsAndEnergyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Business Segments (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Business Segments (Details) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016 segment	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Business Segment Information
Number of business segments \| segment		5
Business Segments
Business Segment Information
Number of business segments with product line reporting changes	2
Business Segments \| Industrial
Business Segment Information
Increase (decrease) in net sales due to product line reporting changes			$ (33)
Increase (decrease) in operating income due to product line reporting changes			(7)
Business Segments \| Electronics and Energy
Business Segment Information
Increase (decrease) in net sales due to product line reporting changes			33
Increase (decrease) in operating income due to product line reporting changes			$ 7