<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-13-018625.txt : 20131231
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-13-018625.hdr.sgml : 20131231
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20131231170448
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-13-018625
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4/A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20131204
FILED AS OF DATE:		20131231
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20131231

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 CORPORATE CENTER
		STREET 2:		370 WABASHA STREET NORTH
		CITY:			ST PAUL
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55102
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6512932233

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ECOLAB CORPORATE CENTER
		STREET 2:		370 WABASHA STREET 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:			BAKER DOUGLAS M JR
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001198753

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4/A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09328
		FILM NUMBER:		131306024

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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-12-04</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2013-12-06</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000031462</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ECOLAB INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ECL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001198753</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BAKER DOUGLAS M JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ECOLAB INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>370 WABASHA STREET N.</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ST. PAUL</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>55102</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman and CEO</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-08-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>600</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>233763.760</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-11-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>13085</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12415</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Wife</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 588.989 shares acquired on April 18, 2013, 528.792 shares acquired on July 18, 2012 and 478.560 shares acquired on October 18, 2013 by dividend reinvestment under the Dividend Reinvestment Plan for shareholders of Ecolab sponsored by Computershare Trust Company, N.A.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The original Form 4 filed by the reporting person on December 6, 2013 reported in error that he made a gift of 13,085 shares from his direct beneficial holdings of Ecolab common stock on November 1, 2013 and his direct beneficial holdings of Ecolab common stock as of the date of the report were incorrectly reported as 220,678.760 shares.  The gift was instead made from shares of Ecolab common stock held by the reporting person's wife.  Accordingly, the reporting person is filing this amendment to correct his direct beneficial holdings of Ecolab common stock as of the date of the report to 233,763.760 shares and the indirect beneficial holdings of Ecolab common stock held through his wife to 12,415 shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ David F. Duvick, Attorney-in-Fact for Douglas M. Baker, Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-12-31</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
