-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 H+rNjLUgnpjTjmYX6Pl4dWpkHpESYaS+mt0nCBlkUrokD/yCEhNmZh46hIC87DB6
 VqN82jtjIgi8VbH0YDdBKw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-03-000921.txt : 20030514
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-03-000921.hdr.sgml : 20030514
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030514154251
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-03-000921
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030513
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030514

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ECOLAB INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000031462
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SOAP, DETERGENT, CLEANING PREPARATIONS, PERFUMES, COSMETICS [2840]
		IRS NUMBER:				410231510
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ECOLAB CTR
		STREET 2:		370 WABASHA ST NORTH
		CITY:			ST PAUL
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55102
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6512932233

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		370 WABASHA ST NORTH
		CITY:			ST. PAUL
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55102

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	ECONOMICS LABORATORY INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19861203

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SPOONER JOHN P
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001198773

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09328
		FILM NUMBER:		03698954

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		370 WABASHA ST NORTH
		CITY:			ST PAUL
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55102
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6512932051

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		370 WBASHA ST NORTH
		CITY:			ST PAUL
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55102
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -2003-05-13
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

<documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-13</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
<issuer><issuerCik>0000031462</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ECOLAB INC</issuerName>
<issuerTradingSymbol>ECL</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001198773</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SPOONER JOHN P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
<reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>President of International</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>35500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>49.00</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>55901</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><valu
e>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>35500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>50.25</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20401</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee 
Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>49.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>35500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2001-02-20</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-05-20</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>35500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTran
saction><value>70000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Additionally, reporting person indirectly holds 2,449.489 UNITS in the Ecolab Stock Fund of the Ecolab Savings Plan (401(k) Plan) as of April 30, 2003. Includes 6.887 units acquired since the reporting person's last report.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Represents a special, premium-priced option (the exercise price is approximately 75% greater than the market price of the issuer's Common Stock on the date of grant) granted to reporting person on February 20, 1998 in conjunction with the adoption by the issuer of a five-year strategic plan targeting aggressive growth goals ("Premium-Priced Options"). As of the date hereof, an aggregate of 628,900 Premium-Priced Options granted to executives of the issuer remain exercisable and outstanding. All Premium-Priced Options expir
e on May 20, 2003.
</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Dave Duvick, Attorney-in-Fact for J.P. Spooner</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-14</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
