-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 BgcNQciMEf+aCIAzNw3lLNCkSZhdSPC1zcmxq5u3wfit/+aHGf7VKmrKOxzYBfUp
 r63bGot9o5tDmPOY8AmgmQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-03-002258.txt : 20030624
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-03-002258.hdr.sgml : 20030624
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030624160405
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-03-002258
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20021231
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030624

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:			SPOONER JOHN P
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001198773

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09328
		FILM NUMBER:		03755197

	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 -2002-12-31
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2002-12-31</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000031462</issuerCik><issuerName>ECOLAB INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>ECL</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001198773</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>SPOONER JOHN P</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>President of International</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value><
/securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2002-08-09</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>L</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>131</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>47.76</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>41064</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2002-09-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormT
ype><transactionCode>L</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>32</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>42.37</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>41128</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-30</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>L</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></v
alue></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>64</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>53.70</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>41256</value><footnoteId id="F1"/><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The number of shares owned by the reporting person has been doubled to reflect the 2 for 1 stock split of Ecolab Inc. Common Stock effected in the form of a 100% stock dividend on June 6, 2003 (the "Stock Split").</footnote><footnote id="F2">Additionally, reporting person indirectly holds 2,449.489 UNITS in the Ecolab Stock Fund of the Ecolab Savings Plan (401(k) Plan) as of May 31, 2003, which are equivalent to appr
oximately 4,597 shares of the issuer's Common Stock (as adjusted for the Stock Split).</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ John P. Spooner</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-24</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----