does soap go "off"?

[CharityShopChic]

Bought a box of soaps in the charity shop, look American, labelled as "colonial" something or other, very traditional wrapping and box. Look 60s/70s. Smell AWFUL. The one which is supposed to be lemon looks all bitty.

Is soap going "off" a thing?

Yes because soap is made of oil/fat and oil can go rancid. While most of the oil in soap is actually saponified by the lye, the fragrance oil is not. This is what has gone rancid in your soaps.

Ah shame. Have had to bin them. Box looked pretty though.

All toiletries go off at some point, they don't last indefinitely.