v2.4.0.8

Stockholders' Equity And Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Tables) | 9 Months Ended
--- | ---
Sep. 30, 2013
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract] |
Components Of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss | The following table displays the changes in accumulated other comprehensive loss by component for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 (in millions):
| Foreign Currency Translation Loss (1) |  | Unrecognized Pension & Other Postretirement Costs, Net of Tax |  | Derivative Hedging (Loss) Gain, Net of Tax |  | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Balance at December 31, 2012 | $ | (166.5 | ) |  | $ | (621.1 | ) |  | $ | (1.4 | ) |  | $ | (789.0 | )
Other comprehensive (loss) income before reclassifications | (5.9 | ) |  | (0.4 | ) |  | 2.0 |  |  | (4.3 | )
Amounts reclassified to earnings | 0.7 |  |  | 16.7 |  |  | (1.6 | ) |  | 15.8 |
Net current period other comprehensive (loss) income | (5.2 | ) |  | 16.3 |  |  | 0.4 |  |  | 11.5 |
Balance at September 30, 2013 | $ | (171.7 | ) |  | $ | (604.8 | ) |  | $ | (1.0 | ) |  | $ | (777.5 | )
Schedule Of Amounts Reclassified Out Of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block] | The following table depicts reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive loss to earnings for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 (in millions):
|  | Amount Reclassified to Earnings as Expense (Benefit) in the Statement of Operations |  | Affected Line Item in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
|  | Three Months Ended September 30, 2013 |  | Nine Months Ended September 30, 2013 |
Foreign currency translation loss: |  |  |  |  |  |
Total before tax |  | $ | 0.7 |  |  | $ | 0.7 |  |  | Discontinued operations
Tax effect |  | — |  |  | — |  |  |
Net of tax |  | $ | 0.7 |  |  | $ | 0.7 |  |  |
Unrecognized pension and other postretirement costs: |  |  |  |  |  |
Prior service benefit |  | $ | (0.2 | ) |  | $ | (0.6 | ) |  | (2)
Actuarial loss |  | 8.5 |  |  | 25.4 |  |  | (2)
Total before tax |  | 8.3 |  |  | 24.8 |  |  |
Tax effect |  | (2.7 | ) |  | (8.1 | ) |  |
Net of tax |  | $ | 5.6 |  |  | $ | 16.7 |  |  |
Derivatives: |  |  |  |  |  |
Foreign exchange contracts on inventory-related purchases |  | $ | (0.7 | ) |  | $ | (2.9 | ) |  | Cost of products sold
Forward interest rate swaps |  | 0.2 |  |  | 0.6 |  |  | Interest expense, net
Total before tax |  | (0.5 | ) |  | (2.3 | ) |  |
Tax effect |  | 0.2 |  |  | 0.7 |  |  |
Net of tax |  | $ | (0.3 | ) |  | $ | (1.6 | ) |  |

X
- Definition Schedule Of Amounts Reclassified Out Of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block] + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | nwl_ScheduleOfAmountsReclassifiedOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | nwl_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of the components of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 14A -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=20435746&loc=SL7669686-108580 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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