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Summary of Principal Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2014 countries | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |  |  |  |
Number of countries in which entity operates |  | 14 us-gaap_NumberOfCountriesInWhichEntityOperates |  |
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Cash not yet collected on receivables sold |  | $ 2,768,000,000 us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent | $ 2,005,000,000 us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent |
Restricted cash |  | 237,000,000 us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents |  |
Short-term Debt |  | 569,000,000 us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings | 10,000,000 us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings |
Depreciation |  | 527,000,000 us-gaap_Depreciation | 515,000,000 us-gaap_Depreciation | 521,000,000 us-gaap_Depreciation
Level 3 assets and liabilities |  | 0 whr_Level3AssetsAndLiabilities | 0 whr_Level3AssetsAndLiabilities |
Retirement of machinery |  | 503,000,000 us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment | 282,000,000 us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment |
Accounts payable outsourcing |  | 1,600,000,000 whr_AccountsPayableOutsourcing | 1,300,000,000 whr_AccountsPayableOutsourcing |
Research and development expense |  | 563,000,000 us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense | 582,000,000 us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense | 553,000,000 us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense
Advertising expense |  | 269,000,000 us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense | 304,000,000 us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense | 273,000,000 us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense
Reclassification of deferred tax assets | 53,000,000 whr_Reclassificationofdeferredtaxassets |  |  |
Other Current Assets |  |  |  |
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Restricted cash |  | 50,000,000 us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherCurrentAssetsMember |  |
Debt securitization |  |  |  |
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Short-term Debt |  | 35,000,000 us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings / us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis = whr_DebtSecuritizationMember | 0 us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings / us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis = whr_DebtSecuritizationMember |
Indesit Company S.p.A. | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary |  |  |  |
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Principal amount outstanding on loans securitized |  | 88,000,000 us-gaap_SecuredDebt / dei_LegalEntityAxis = whr_IndesitCompanyS.p.A.Member / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember |  |
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Current |  | 53,000,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentCurrent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = whr_IndesitCompanyS.p.A.Member / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember |  |
Cash not yet collected on receivables sold |  | 38,000,000 us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = whr_IndesitCompanyS.p.A.Member / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember |  |
Restricted cash |  | 5,000,000 us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents / dei_LegalEntityAxis = whr_IndesitCompanyS.p.A.Member / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember |  |
Short-term Debt |  | $ 35,000,000 us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings / dei_LegalEntityAxis = whr_IndesitCompanyS.p.A.Member / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember |  |

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- Definition Amount due from customers or clients, within one year of the balance sheet date (or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer), for goods or services (including trade receivables) that have been delivered or sold in the normal course of business, reduced to the estimated net realizable fair value by an allowance established by the entity of the amount it deems uncertain of collection. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3-4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph a(1) -Article 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 4 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 985 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501960&loc=d3e128462-111756 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 730 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6420194&loc=d3e21568-108373 + Details
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