| Component: (Network and Table) | |
|---|---|
| Network | 2410403 - Disclosure - FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Fair Value and Gross Unrealized Losses of the Company's Investments) (Details) (https://www.dow.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsFairValueAndGrossUnrealizedLossesOfCompanysInvestmentsDetails) |
| Table | Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Table] |
| Reporting Entity [Axis] | 0000029915 (https://www.sec.gov/CIK) |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | Period [Axis] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2013-01-01 - 2013-12-31 | 2012-01-01 - 2012-12-31 | |||||||
| Major Types of Debt and Equity Securities [Axis] | Major Types of Debt and Equity Securities [Axis] | |||||||
| US Treasury and Government [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] | Major Types of Debt and Equity Securities [Domain] | US Treasury and Government [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] | Major Types of Debt and Equity Securities [Domain] | |
Temporarily Impaired Securities, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value | ||||||||
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months | ( | ( | ( | ( | ( | ( | ( | |
Other than temporary impairment write-downs on investments still held | ||||||||
Cost method investments, aggregate cost | ||||||||
Cost method investments, reduction in cost basis due to impairment | ||||||||