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
                                                                                  
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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(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
                      

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *

BAKER DOUGLAS M JR 		2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol

ECOLAB INC [ ECL ] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)

__ X __ Director                      _____ 10% Owner
__ X __ Officer (give title below)      _____ Other (specify below)
Chairman, President & CEO
(Last)          (First)          (Middle)

ECOLAB INC., 370 WABASHA STREET N. 		3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY)

12/3/2008
(Street)

ST. PAUL, MN 55102
(City)        (State)        (Zip)
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)

 
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

_ X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3) 		2. Trans. Date 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any 3. Trans. 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                  125618.49   (1) D    
Common Stock                  4949.492   (2) I   By Ecolab Savings Plan  

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivate Security
(Instr. 3) 		2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Trans. Date 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any 4. Trans. 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 7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(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)   $35.63   12/3/2008     A     421000       12/3/2009   (3) 12/3/2018   Common Stock   421000   $0.00   421000   D    

Explanation of Responses:
( 1)  Includes 327.647 shares acquired by reporting person on January 18, 2008, 360.302 shares acquired on April 18, 2008, 376.233 shares acquired on July 18, 2008 and 409.226 shares acquired on October 20, 2008 by dividend reinvestment under the Dividend Reinvestment Plan for shareholders of Ecolab sponsored by Computershare Trust Company, Inc.
( 2)  Number of UNITS in the Ecolab Stock Fund of the Ecolab Savings Plan (401(k) Plan) as of October 31, 2008. Includes 164.482 UNITS acquired since the reporting person's last report. (The 4,949.492 UNITS are the equivalent of approximtely 9,257 SHARES of the issuer's Common Stock.)
( 3)  The option will be exercisable, on a cumulative basis, as 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 2005 Ecolab Inc. Stock Incentive Plan) will occur, then the option, if it has been outstanding for at least six months from the date of grant, will become immediately exercisable in full.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address
Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
BAKER DOUGLAS M JR
ECOLAB INC.
370 WABASHA STREET N.
ST. PAUL, MN 55102 		X
Chairman, President & CEO

Signatures
/s/ David F. Duvick, Attorney-in-Fact for Douglas M. Baker, Jr. 12/5/2008
** Signature of Reporting Person Date


Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* 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).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.
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