ECOLAB INC. — Director's Dealing 2004

May 4, 2004

SEC Form 4 — Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership

Issuer: ECOLAB INC (ECL)
CIK: 0000031462
Period of Report: 2004-04-30

Reporting Person: BILLER LESLIE S (Director)

Non-Derivative Transactions

Date	Security	Code	Shares	Price	A/D	Holdings After	Ownership
2004-04-30	Common Stock	A	140.13	$0.00	Acquired	38768.74	Direct
2004-04-30	Common Stock	A	341.91	$29.735	Acquired	39162.90	Direct
2004-04-30	Common Stock	M	6412	$22.653	Acquired	45574.90	Direct
2004-04-30	Common Stock	F	4884	$29.735	Disposed	40690.90	Direct

Derivative Transactions

Date	Security	Exercise Price	Code	Shares	A/D	Expiration	Underlying	Ownership
2004-04-30	Director Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$22.653	M	6412	Disposed	2012-05-10	Common Stock (6412)	Direct
2004-04-30	Director Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$29.735	A	4884	Acquired	2012-05-10	Common Stock (4884)	Direct

Footnotes

F1: Reflects the reporting person's payment of the exercise price of a stock option issued in accordance with Rule 16b-3 by delivering shares of Ecolab Common Stock.

F2: Includes 52.25 shares acquired pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature of the Ecolab Inc. 2001 Non-Employee Director Stock Option and Deferred Compensation Plan.

F3: This option was previously reported as covering 3,206 shares at an exercise price of $45.305/share, but has been adjusted to reflect a 2-for-1 stock split on June 6, 2003.