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Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans - Plan Amount Narrative (Details) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) country plan | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Unfunded Plans |  |
Benefit Plan Information |  |
Maximum amount of certain nonqualified unfunded pension and postretirement benefit plans obligations not included in benefit obligation reconciliation | $ | $ 40 | $ 40
Qualified and Non-qualified Pension Benefits |  |
Benefit Plan Information |  |
Company-sponsored retirement plans, minimum number of worldwide plans | plan | 75 |
Company-sponsored retirement plans, number of countries | country | 27 |
Qualified and Non-qualified Pension Benefits | International Qualified and Non-qualified Pension Benefits |  |
Benefit Plan Information |  |
Company-sponsored retirement plans, minimum number of international plans | plan | 70 |
Company-sponsored retirement plans, number of countries | country | 26 |

X
- Definition The number of company-sponsored international plans aggregated together for disclosures purposes. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mmm_DefinedBenefitPlanNumberOfPlansMinimum
Namespace Prefix: | mmm_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The number of company-sponsored worldwide plans aggregated together for disclosures purposes. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mmm_DefinedBenefitPlanNumberOfPlansWorldwideMinimum
Namespace Prefix: | mmm_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Maximum amount of certain nonqualified unfunded pension and postretirement benefit plans obligations not included in benefit obligation reconciliation. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mmm_MaximumAmountOfCertainNonqualifiedUnfundedPensionAndPostretirementBenefitPlansObligationsNotIncludedInBenefitObligationReconciliation
Namespace Prefix: | mmm_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition This element represents the number of countries in which company has company-sponsored plans. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mmm_NumberOfCountriesInWhichRetirementPlansSponsored
Namespace Prefix: | mmm_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- 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_DefinedBenefitPlanDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RetirementPlanFundingStatusAxis=us-gaap_UnfundedPlanMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RetirementPlanSponsorLocationAxis=us-gaap_ForeignPlanMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |