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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 Uc3UiZ98YC7u1jIo85taPvgnwfQryTBjvQefjw37y/sVfZmrKlc9Sb46fuQSaAlE
 jxqNexcjMz58nabDi07IKg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-03-001134.txt : 20030521
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-03-001134.hdr.sgml : 20030521
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030521161212
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-03-001134
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030519
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030521

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 CTR
		STREET 2:		370 WABASHA ST NORTH
		CITY:			ST PAUL
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55102
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6512932233

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		370 WABASHA ST NORTH
		CITY:			ST. PAUL
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55102

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

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FRITZE STEVEN L
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001198756

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09328
		FILM NUMBER:		03714677

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		370 WABASHA ST NORTH
		CITY:			ST PAUL
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55102
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6512932051

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		370 WBASHA ST NORTH
		CITY:			ST PAUL
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55102
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -2003-05-19
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-19</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000031462</issuerCik><issuerName>ECOLAB INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>ECL</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001198756</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>FRITZE STEVEN L</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Senior Vice President &amp; CFO</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</v
alue></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>49.00</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5024</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactio
nCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>50.25</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1024</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-20</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><trans
actionAmounts><transactionShares><value>21000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>49.00</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>22024</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-20</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>21000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>50.25</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDis
posedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1024</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>49.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>
D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2001-02-20</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-05-20</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>21000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>49.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-20</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwa
pInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>21000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2001-02-20</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-05-20</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>21000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Additionally, reporting person indirectly holds 10,769.727 UNITS in the Ecolab Stock Fund of the Ecolab
 Savings Plan (401(k) Plan) as of April 30, 2003. (The 10,769.727 units are the equivalent to approximately 10,110 shares of the issuer's Common Stock.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Represents a special, premium-priced option (the exercise price is approximately 70% greater than the market price of the issuer's Common Stock on the date of grant) granted to reporting person by the issuer on February 25, 2000. The issuer granted special, premium-priced options to executives on February 20, 1998 in conjunction with the adoption of a five-year strategic plan targeting aggressive growth goals ("Premium-Priced Options"). Certain executives, including the reporting person, were selected by the issuer to participate subsequent to the adoption of the program and such executives received a pro rata option grant. All Premium-Priced Options expired on May 20, 2003.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/D.F. Duvick, Attorney-in-Fact for S.L. Fritze</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-21</signatureDate><
/ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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