Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34725769&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ 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 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph e
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479336&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for the line of credit facility regardless of whether the facility has been used.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ 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 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Indebtedness divided by net capital.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RatioOfIndebtednessToNetCapital1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Covenant, Rolling Twelve Month Coverage Ratio, Minimum

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	whr_DebtInstrumentCovenantRollingTwelveMonthCoverageRatioMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	whr_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=whr_LetterofCreditSubfacilityMaturing2017Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_ForeignLineOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=whr_NotesMaturing20464.5PercentInterestRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=whr_ThirdAmendedandRestatedLongTermCreditAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=whr_NotesMatured20166.5PercentInterestRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=whr_AmendedandRestatedShortTermCreditAgreementSeptember252015Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Financing Arrangements - Narrative (Details)		6 Months Ended
Financing Arrangements - Narrative (Details)	May 17, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 EUR (€)	Jun. 30, 2016 BRL	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 15, 2016 USD ($)	May 23, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Letter of Credit Subfacility Maturing 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity			BRL 1,000,000,000	$ 312,000,000
Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity				0
Line of Credit \| Foreign Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		€ 250,000,000		277,000,000
Notes Maturing 2046, 4.5 Percent Interest Rate [Member] \| Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount						$ 500,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage						4.50%
Third Amended and Restated Long-Term Credit Agreement \| Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 2,500,000,000.0			$ 2,500,000,000.0			$ 0
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage	0.125%
Ratio of indebtedness to net capital	0.60
Debt instrument, covenant, rolling twelve month coverage ratio, minimum	3.0
Notes Matured 2016, 6.5 Percent Interest Rate \| Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount					$ 250,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage					6.50%
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage		101.00%
Amended and Restated Short-Term Credit Agreement, September 25, 2015 \| Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 500,000,000
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) \| Third Amended and Restated Long-Term Credit Agreement \| Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, basis spread on variable rate	1.125%
Prime Rate \| Third Amended and Restated Long-Term Credit Agreement \| Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, basis spread on variable rate	0.125%