<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24.1
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>a2044585zex-24_1.txt
<DESCRIPTION>EX24-1_1718.CEC
<TEXT>

<PAGE>

                                                                    EXHIBIT 24.1

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY



         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That the undersigned, a Director of
Ecolab Inc., a Delaware corporation, does hereby make, nominate and appoint each
of ALLAN L. SCHUMAN and KENNETH A. IVERSON, signing singly, to be my
attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority to sign his name to an amendment
to Registration Statement on Form S-8 to deregister shares of Ecolab common
stock (and the attached preferred stock purchase rights) previously registered
for issuance pursuant to the Ecolab Inc. 1995 Non-Employee Director Stock Option
Plan, which have not been issued under the plan and are not subject to currently
outstanding options, provided that the amendment, in final form, be approved by
said attorney-in-fact; and his name, when thus signed, shall have the same force
and effect as though I had manually signed said document.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto affixed my signature this 23rd day
of February, 2001.

                                       /s/ Les S. Biller
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Les S. Biller

                                       /s/ Ruth S. Block
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Ruth S. Block

                                       /s/ Jerry A. Grundhofer
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Jerry A. Grundhofer

                                       /s/ James J. Howard
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       James J. Howard

                                       /s/ Joel W. Johnson
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Joel W. Johnson

                                       /s/ Jerry W. Levin
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Jerry W. Levin

                                       /s/ Roberert L. Lumpkins
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Robert L. Lumpkins

                                       /s/ Hugo Uyterhoeven
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Hugo Uyterhoeven


         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto affixed my signature this 28th day
of February, 2001.

                                       /s/ William L. Jews
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       William L. Jews


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</DOCUMENT>
