ECOLAB INC. — Director's Dealing 2005

Nov 4, 2005

SEC Form 3 — Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership

Issuer: ECOLAB INC (ECL)
CIK: 0000031462
Period of Report: 2005-10-27

Reporting Person: Hickey Michael A (SVP - Global / Corp. Accounts)

Holdings (Non-Derivative)

Security	Shares	Ownership
Common Stock	10085.722	Direct
Common Stock	2890.21	Indirect

Holdings (Derivative)

Security	Exercise Price	Expiration	Underlying	Shares	Ownership
Phantom Stock Units	$		Common Stock (64.97)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$10.945	2007-08-15	Common Stock (3520)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$10.945	2007-08-15	Common Stock (6000)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$13.453	2007-12-15	Common Stock (3960)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$14.859	2008-08-14	Common Stock (5000)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$19.922	2009-08-13	Common Stock (5800)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$19.266	2010-08-18	Common Stock (14000)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$20.06	2011-08-16	Common Stock (14000)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$18.96	2011-12-06	Common Stock (20000)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$24.34	2012-12-05	Common Stock (20000)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$27.39	2013-12-11	Common Stock (21000)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$34.50	2014-12-09	Common Stock (18900)		Direct

Footnotes

F1: Number of UNITS in the Ecolab Stock Fund of the Ecolab Savings Plan (401(k) Plan) as of October 28, 2005. (The 2,890.21 UNITS are the equivalent of approximately 5,412 shares of the issuer's Common Stock.)

F2: The phantom stock units represent employer-matching contributions and dividends thereon accrued under the Ecolab Mirror Savings Plan and are to be settled in cash, on a 1-for-1 basis, upon termination of the reporting person's employment.

F3: Options granted under the Ecolab Inc. 1997 Stock Incentive Plan. Each option became exercisable, on a cumulative basis, as to 25% of the total shares subject to the option (excluding any fractional portion less than one share) on each of the first, second and third anniversaries of the date of grant and as to the remaining shares on the fourth anniversary of the date of grant. The date listed in the "Date Exercisable" column is the one year anniversary of the date of grant (i.e., the date when the first 25% of the shares became exercisable).

F4: Options granted under the Ecolab Inc. 1997 Stock Incentive Plan. Each option became exercisable, on a cumulative basis, as to to one-third of the option shares (excluding any fractional portion less than one share) on each of the first and second anniversaries of the date of grant and as to the remaining shares on the third anniversary of the date of grant. The date listed in the "Date Exercisable" column is the one year anniversary of the date of grant (i.e., the date when the first one-third of the shares became exercisable).

F5: Options granted under the Ecolab Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan. Each option becomes exercisable, on a cumulative basis, as to to one-third of the option shares (excluding any fractional portion less than one share) on each of the first and second anniversaries of the date of grant and as to the remaining shares on the third anniversary of the date of grant; provided, however, that if a Change in Control (as that term is defined in the 2002 Plan) of the Company occurs, then the option, if it has been outstanding for at least six months from the date of grant, will become immediately exercisable in full. The date listed in the "Date Exercisable" column is the one year anniversary of the date of grant (i.e., the date when the first one-third of the shares became exercisable).