slop jar
A chamber pot kept under the bed when the outhouse was too far.
Also called slop pot, thunder mug, chamber pot.
Updated September 24, 2026
slop jar pronunciation
/SLOP jar/
Meaning
A portable pot for nighttime business, kept in the bedroom before indoor plumbing. Rural Southern and Appalachian folks called it a slop jar, not a chamber pot. Kids, sick folks, and anyone facing a dark walk to the outhouse used it. Emptying and washing it was a morning chore nobody fought to claim.
How folks use it
- “Boy, take that slop jar out before it stinks up the house.”
- “Mamaw kept a slop jar under every bed till they got plumbing.”
Origin and etymology
Name comes from the messy job of "slopping out" the pot each morning. Same idea as chamber pot or thunder mug. Common in Appalachia and the rural South wherever outhouses were the rule and a cold night walk was not.
Frequently asked questions
Is a slop jar the same as a chamber pot?
Yes. Slop jar is the plain country name for it.