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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ 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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-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

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph e
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75038535&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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-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, Additional Term

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	whr_DebtInstrumentAdditionalTerm
Namespace Prefix:	whr_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- 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

- Definition

Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Discretionary Contributions by Employer

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	whr_DefinedBenefitPlanPlanAssetsDiscretionaryContributionsbyEmployer
Namespace Prefix:	whr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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_NotesMaturing20271.100PercentInterestRateMember
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_IndesitEuroBonds4.5Maturing2018Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=whr_NotesMatured20171.65PercentInterestRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=whr_NotesMatured20171.35PercentInterestRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_EurodollarMember
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

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_PrimeRateMember
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:

Financing Arrangements - Narrative (Details)						1 Months Ended
Financing Arrangements - Narrative (Details)	Sep. 15, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 05, 2018 EUR (€)	Apr. 23, 2018 USD ($)	Nov. 09, 2017 EUR (€)	Sep. 27, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 EUR (€)	Sep. 30, 2018 BRL (R$)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 05, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 26, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Nov. 09, 2017 USD ($)	Nov. 01, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 01, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Discretionary contributions by employer	$ 350,000,000					$ 350,000,000
Letter of Credit Subfacility Maturing 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity								R$ 1,000,000,000	$ 250,000,000			$ 302,000,000
Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity									0			0
Line of Credit \| Foreign Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity							€ 250,000,000		290,000,000			$ 300,000,000
Notes Maturing 2027, 1.100 Percent Interest Rate [Member] \| Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount				€ 600,000,000									$ 699,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage				1.10%									1.10%
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage				101.00%
Notes Matured 2018, 4.50 Percent Interest Rate \| Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount											$ 363,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage											4.50%
Notes Matured 2017, 1.65 Percent Interest Rate \| Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount														$ 300,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage														1.65%
Notes Matured 2017, 1.35 Percent Interest Rate \| Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount															$ 250,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage															1.35%
Term Loan Agreement \| Secured Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount		€ 600,000,000	$ 1,000,000,000.0							$ 703,000,000
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage		0.125%	0.125%
Ratio of indebtedness to net capital		0.65	0.65							0.65
Debt instrument, covenant, rolling twelve month coverage ratio, minimum		3.0	3.0
Debt instrument, additional term			6 months
Term Loan Agreement \| Secured Debt \| EURIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, basis spread on variable rate		1.00%
Term Loan Agreement \| Secured Debt \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, basis spread on variable rate			1.125%
Term Loan Agreement \| Secured Debt \| Prime Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, basis spread on variable rate		0.125%	0.125%
Third Amended and Restated Long-Term Credit Agreement \| Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage					0.125%
Ratio of indebtedness to net capital					0.65
Debt instrument, covenant, rolling twelve month coverage ratio, minimum					3.0
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity					$ 3,000,000,000.0				$ 3,000,000,000.0							$ 2,500,000,000.0
Third Amended and Restated Long-Term Credit Agreement \| Line of Credit \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, basis spread on variable rate					1.125%
Third Amended and Restated Long-Term Credit Agreement \| Line of Credit \| Prime Rate \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, basis spread on variable rate					0.125%