In these crazy-scary days of global health concerns, we have a heightened awareness of the
importance of washing our hands to prevent and/or slow down the spread of germs and viruses. Here is a brief history of a soap that was a staple in my house when I was growing up. Whether washing with it retarded the spread of disease is unconfirmed. This soap is
Lava Soap — Whatever you’re into, Lava gets it out.
Pertinent Lava soap facts:
- heavy-duty hand cleaner
- originally produced in soap bar form
- developed by Waltke Company of St. Louis, Missouri in 1893
- contains ground pumice (hence the name 'lava')
- moisturizers added in recent years
- original beige bar without moisturizers is no longer manufactured
- comes in green wrapper,red wrapper, and liquid
This advertisement from 1950 promises that washing with Lava soap prevents polio. Unfortunately, there was no documented, scientific proof of this. (More HERE)
Here are our vintage television commercials extolling the advantages of washing with Lava.
Lava Hand Soap Commercial c. 1965
Lava Soap – “Wash Your Hands, Roger” (1960s or 1970s –
conflicting sources information)
Lava Soap c. 1989
Lava Soap c. 1990
My dad and grandpa washed with Lava soap to remove dirt and grease. It worked well. What about in your house? Did your family use Lava soap?
Until next time,
Kaye Spencer
Stay in contact with Kaye—
Resources:
Lava soap information—
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lava_(soap)
Website: https://www.lavasoap.com/
Vintage Advertisement—
Pinterest. Etsy.com. Lava soap vintage ad c. 1950s. Accessed
2020.03-21. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/356136283019260162/
Vintage lava soap image—
Pinterest. rakukaren.com. Vintage Lava Soap image. Accessed
2020.03-21. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/349521621052204480/
