Quarterly Data (Unaudited) (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions |
3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dec. 31, 2017
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Sep. 30, 2017
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Jun. 30, 2017
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Mar. 31, 2017
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Sep. 30, 2016
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Jun. 30, 2016
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Mar. 31, 2016
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Dec. 31, 2017
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
|
| Quarterly Data (Unaudited) | |||||||||||
| Net sales | $ 7,990 | $ 8,172 | $ 7,810 | $ 7,685 | $ 7,329 | $ 7,709 | $ 7,662 | $ 7,409 | $ 31,657 | $ 30,109 | $ 30,274 |
| Cost of sales | 4,080 | 4,045 | 4,007 | 3,869 | 3,716 | 3,847 | 3,799 | 3,678 | 16,001 | 15,040 | 15,383 |
| Net income including noncontrolling interest | 525 | 1,433 | 1,585 | 1,326 | 1,156 | 1,331 | 1,293 | 1,278 | 4,869 | 5,058 | 4,841 |
| Net income attributable to 3M | $ 523 | $ 1,429 | $ 1,583 | $ 1,323 | $ 1,155 | $ 1,329 | $ 1,291 | $ 1,275 | $ 4,858 | $ 5,050 | $ 4,833 |
| Earnings per share attributable to 3M common shareholders - basic (in dollars per share) | $ / shares | $ 0.88 | $ 2.39 | $ 2.65 | $ 2.21 | $ 1.93 | $ 2.20 | $ 2.13 | $ 2.10 | $ 8.13 | $ 8.35 | $ 7.72 |
| Earnings per share attributable to 3M common shareholders - diluted (in dollars per share) | $ / shares | $ 0.85 | $ 2.33 | $ 2.58 | $ 2.16 | $ 1.88 | $ 2.15 | $ 2.08 | $ 2.05 | $ 7.93 | $ 8.16 | $ 7.58 |
| Provisional income tax expense (benefit) from enactment of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 | $ 762 | ||||||||||
| Impact on diluted earnings per share as a result of the Tax Cuts And Jobs Act Of 2017 | $ / shares | 1.25 | 1.24 | |||||||||