Amount of hedged item in hedging relationship. Excludes hedged asset or liability.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeAmountOfHedgedItem
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

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

- Definition

Amount after tax and reclassification adjustments of gain (loss) on foreign currency translation adjustments, foreign currency transactions designated and effective as economic hedges of a net investment in a foreign entity and intra-entity foreign currency transactions that are of a long-term-investment nature, attributable to parent entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 20
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126929396&loc=SL4569643-111683

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109239629&loc=SL4573702-111684

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 19
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126929396&loc=SL4569616-111683

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before tax, of increase (decrease) in the cumulative translation adjustment from gain (loss) on foreign currency derivatives that are designated as, and are effective as, economic hedges of a net investment in a foreign entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118261656&loc=d3e32211-110900

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 20
-Section 35
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123602790&loc=d3e30304-110892

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TranslationAdjustmentForNetInvestmentHedgeIncreaseDecreaseGrossOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=irm_EuroNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_NetInvestmentHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities - Euro Notes Designated as a Hedge of Net Investment (Details) € in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 EUR (€)	Aug. 31, 2020 EUR (€)
Derivative [Line Items]
Foreign exchange gains (losses) associated with net investment hedge \| €				€ 17,005
Cumulative net gains \| $	$ (113,485)	$ (134,834)	$ 46,635
Euro Notes \| Designated Hedging Instruments \| Net Investment Hedging
Derivative [Line Items]
Hedged notes \| €					€ 300,000
Cumulative net gains \| $	$ 3,256