<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-16-020260.txt : 20160226
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-16-020260.hdr.sgml : 20160226
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20160226161446
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-16-020260
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20160224
FILED AS OF DATE:		20160226
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20160226

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:			SAINT PAUL
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55102
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6512502587

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ECOLAB CORPORATE CENTER
		STREET 2:		370 WABASHA STREET NORTH
		CITY:			SAINT PAUL
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55102

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	ECOLAB INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703

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

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Berger Larry L
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001433832

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09328
		FILM NUMBER:		161462002

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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-02-24</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001433832</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Berger Larry L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>370 WABASHA STREET NORTH</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAINT PAUL</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>55102</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Executive VP &amp; CTO</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-02-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4310</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>40787</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-02-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1468</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>100.465</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>39319</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>68.456</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Ecolab Savings Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Reflects the reporting person's payment of minimum statutory tax obligations by withholding shares of Ecolab Common Stock incident to the vesting of performance-based restricted stock units in accordance with Rule 16b-3.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Number of UNITS in the Ecolab Stock Fund of the Ecolab Savings Plan (401(k) Plan) as of January 31, 2016. Includes 0.226 UNITS acquired since the reporting person's last report. (The 68.456 UNITS are the equivalent of approximately 126 SHARES of the issuer's Common Stock.)</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ David F. Duvick, as Attorney-in-Fact for Larry L. Berger</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-02-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
