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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 AEfwo20nm+1IAwjUwq9mqF90z4ZbPg2HRH4YtcVi3CH0fP3OXijXvrwYYnCTM1o9
 IqNK2OcbQXtqChxDFvMmiw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-03-001052.txt : 20030519
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-03-001052.hdr.sgml : 20030519
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030519161657
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-03-001052
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030515
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030519

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SCHUMAN ALLAN L
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001159193

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09328
		FILM NUMBER:		03710656

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		370 WABASHA
		CITY:			ST. PAUL
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55102
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6512932864

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
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -2003-05-15
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-15</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000031462</issuerCik><issuerName>ECOLAB INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>ECL</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001159193</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>SCHUMAN ALLAN L</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman of the Board &amp; CEO</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</v
alue></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>51700</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>49.00</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>346350</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transac
tionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>24300</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>50.77</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>322050</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>27400</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>50.93</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>294650</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>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transacti
onAmounts><transactionShares><value>51700</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>51700</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>293200</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Additionally, reporting person indirectly holds 13,715.967 UNITS in the Ecolab Stock Fund of the Ecolab Savings Plan (401(k) Plan) as of April 30, 2003, including 38.565 units acquired since the repor
ting 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 470,200 Premium-Priced Options granted to executives of the issuer remain exercisable and outstanding.  All Premium-Priced Options expire on May 20, 2003.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ D.F. Duvick, Attorney-in-Fact for A.L. Schuman</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-19</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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