Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
Hickey Michael A
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ECOLAB INC [ECL] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
SVP - Global Bus. Development
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
370 WABASHA STREET NORTH		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
08/17/2006
(Street)

SAINT PAUL, MN 55102		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 08/17/2006   M   3,520 A $ 10.945 13,605.722 D  
Common Stock 08/17/2006   M   6,000 A $ 10.945 19,605.722 D  
Common Stock 08/17/2006   M   3,960 A $ 13.453 23,565.722 D  
Common Stock 08/17/2006   S   11,200 D $ 45.06 12,365.722 D  
Common Stock 08/17/2006   S   400 D $ 45.15 11,965.722 D  
Common Stock 08/17/2006   S   900 D $ 45.2 11,065.722 D  
Common Stock 08/17/2006   S   980 D $ 45.24 10,112.641 (1) D  
Common Stock               3,063.278 (2) I By Ecolab Savings Plan

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 10.945 08/17/2006   M     3,520 08/15/1998(3) 08/15/2007 Common Stock 3,520 $ 0 0 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 10.945 08/17/2006   M     6,000 08/15/1998(3) 08/15/2007 Common Stock 6,000 $ 0 0 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 13.453 08/17/2006   M     3,960 12/15/1998(4) 12/15/2007 Common Stock 3,960 $ 0 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
Hickey Michael A
370 WABASHA STREET NORTH
SAINT PAUL, MN 55102		       SVP - Global Bus. Development  

Signatures

 /s/ David F. Duvick, as Attorney-in-fact for Michael A. Hickey   08/18/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) 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.
(2) 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.)
(3) 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.
(4) 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.

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