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Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2014
May 31, 2014
Nov. 30, 2013
May 31, 2013
Nov. 30, 2014
Nov. 30, 2013
Effective income tax rate (as a percent) 9.20%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations   20.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations   10.70%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations 19.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations
Tax benefit associated with net reduction in valuation allowance $ 850,000us-gaap_DeferredOtherTaxExpenseBenefit          
Tax benefit from finalization of certain tax returns 520,000us-gaap_TaxAdjustmentsSettlementsAndUnusualProvisions          
Tax benefit recorded related to the resolution of an uncertain tax position with a foreign tax authority   2,070,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions        
Asset impairment charges   9,000,000us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges   12,050,000us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges 9,000,000us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges 12,049,000us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
Tax benefit related to asset impairment charges   $ 860,000hele_AssetImpairmentChargesTaxBenefit   $ 20,000hele_AssetImpairmentChargesTaxBenefit    
Trademark licensing agreement to market branded portable air purifiers | Honeywell International Inc. | Selected developing countries            
Decrease to effective income tax rate for gain from amendment of license agreement 1.20%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationDeductionsExtraterritorialIncomeExclusion
/ us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis
= hele_HoneywellInternationalIncMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= hele_SelectedDevelopingCountriesMember
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= hele_MarketingOfPortableAirPurifiersMember
      0.80%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationDeductionsExtraterritorialIncomeExclusion
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= hele_HoneywellInternationalIncMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= hele_SelectedDevelopingCountriesMember
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= hele_MarketingOfPortableAirPurifiersMember