ECOLAB INC. — Director's Dealing 2004

Dec 21, 2004

SEC Form 4 — Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership

Issuer: ECOLAB INC (ECL)
CIK: 0000031462
Period of Report: 2004-03-10

Reporting Person: SPOONER JOHN P (President of International)

Non-Derivative Transactions

Date	Security	Code	Shares	Price	A/D	Holdings After	Ownership
2004-03-10	Common Stock	G	900	$0.00	Disposed	38541	Direct
2004-05-21	Common Stock	G	350	$0.00	Disposed	38191	Direct
2004-05-25	Common Stodk	G	35	$0.00	Disposed	38156	Direct

Holdings (Non-Derivative)

Security	Shares	Ownership
Common Stock	2648.344	Indirect

Footnotes

F1: Number of UNITS owned by the reporting person in the Ecolab Stock Fund of the Ecolab Savings Plan (401(k) Plan) as of November 30, 2004. The 2,648.344 UNITS are the equivalent of approximately 5,006 shares of the issuer's common stock.