ECOLAB INC. — Director's Dealing 2006

Aug 18, 2006

SEC Form 4 — Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership

Issuer: ECOLAB INC (ECL)
CIK: 0000031462
Period of Report: 2006-08-17

Reporting Person: Hickey Michael A (SVP - Global Bus. Development)

Non-Derivative Transactions

Date	Security	Code	Shares	Price	A/D	Holdings After	Ownership
2006-08-17	Common Stock	M	3520	$10.945	Acquired	13605.722	Direct
2006-08-17	Common Stock	M	6000	$10.945	Acquired	19605.722	Direct
2006-08-17	Common Stock	M	3960	$13.453	Acquired	23565.722	Direct
2006-08-17	Common Stock	S	11200	$45.06	Disposed	12365.722	Direct
2006-08-17	Common Stock	S	400	$45.15	Disposed	11965.722	Direct
2006-08-17	Common Stock	S	900	$45.20	Disposed	11065.722	Direct
2006-08-17	Common Stock	S	980	$45.24	Disposed	10112.641	Direct

Derivative Transactions

Date	Security	Exercise Price	Code	Shares	A/D	Expiration	Underlying	Ownership
2006-08-17	Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$10.945	M	3520	Disposed	2007-08-15	Common Stock (3520)	Direct
2006-08-17	Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$10.945	M	6000	Disposed	2007-08-15	Common Stock (6000)	Direct
2006-08-17	Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$13.453	M	3960	Disposed	2007-12-15	Common Stock (3960)	Direct

Holdings (Non-Derivative)

Security	Shares	Ownership
Common Stock	3063.278	Indirect

Footnotes

F1: Includes 9.575 shares acquired by reporting person on January 20, 2006, 8.929 shares acquired by reporting person on April 20, 2006 and 8.415 shares acquired by reporting person on July 20, 2006 under the Ecolab Dividend Reinvestment Plan.

F2: Number of UNITS owned by the reporting person in the Ecolab Stock Fund of the Ecolab Savings Plan (401(k) Plan) as of July 31, 2006. (The 3,063.278 UNITS are equivalent to approximately 5,719 SHARES of the issuer's Common Stock.)

F3: Option granted under the Ecolab Inc. 1997 Stock Incentive Plan on August 15, 1997. The option became exercisable, on a cumulative basis, as to 25% of the option shares (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 option shares on the fourth anniversary of the date of grant.

F4: Option granted under the Ecolab Inc. 1997 Stock Incentive Plan on December 15, 1997. The option became exercisable, on a cumulative basis, as to 25% of the option shares (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 option shares on the fourth anniversary of the date of grant.