Lava soap is the original heavy-duty hand cleaner. Since 1893, do-it-yourselfers, coal miners, and oil rig workers have depended on the power of pumice in Lava to cut through even the toughest grease and grime. Lava’s name was derived from one of its key ingredients-pumice. A by-product of volcanic activity, pumice is used in combination with other cleaning agents to clean even the dirtiest of hands.