A woman spilled a deep red can of paint from Lowe’s in her car, creating a complete mess.
In a video with more than 2.4 million views, Kelly (@followfearfindbeauty), a single mom from Hawaii, shared the disaster with her audience.
“I just got home from Lowe’s. [I] bought a can of paint from the paint section [and] put it in my car like I always do. [Then], I pulled up into my garage, and I do not know what to do,” she said, while recording the red paint splattered all across her back seat.
The paint appeared in nearly every crevice of the back, completely covering the seat while dripping toward the floorboards.
“I didn’t check if the top was on because they always hammer the top on. Nobody checks [the top],” she added. Based on her testimony, an employee at Lowe’s didn’t properly hammer the lid, eventually leading to the spill.
“I was just about to sell this car,” she said in the video, devastated by the spill. “I called Lowe’s right away.”
The video shows the paint spill in the back seat, with viewers questioning whether it could even be cleaned.
Mixed reactions to the red paint—Could she even get it out?
Some commenters offered quick, lighthearted quips. “Now your car is a Christian [Louboutin],” one wrote, referencing the deep red color.
Others went into problem-solving mode. One viewer said, “Lowe’s insurance should cover it, but in the meantime check the paint type on the can. Latex (water-based): Scoop up extra paint, blot with paper towels (don’t rub), then clean with warm water + dish soap. A shop vac can help pull it out of [the] carpet. If it dries, try rubbing alcohol or a latex paint remover (test first). Oil-based: Needs mineral spirits/paint thinner, but that can ruin fabric, better to take it to a pro auto detailer.”
Kelly later posted an update showing what her car looked like when the paint dried. In the video, she was still able to scoop globs of red paint away with a wooden spoon, now permanently etched with the paint color. She captioned the update, “@Lowe’s please help,” tagging the company’s TikTok account.
Did she manage to clean the car?
In another update, Kelly said she managed to “scrape as much as [she] could off,” but her car was still brightly stained.
One commenter shared a similar experience: “This happened to me and my Lowes paid for everything to get replaced. I went to the dealership and they still remember me. That was 15 years ago.”
Later, Kelly replied to a comment from a user asking for more information: “I got as much as I could get out, filed a claim and am on stand by. I have a lot going on so had to keep moving with my day.”
Final update of #redpaintgate
In a final update to what she called #redpaintgate, Kelly said Lowe’s was still reviewing the case, but that she shouldn’t have placed the can on her backseat.
Despite her saying she made a mistake, many viewers continued to support her.
One said, “This is NOT your fault. I’m sorry most of the comments were so negative. Lowe’s should have hammered it closed. If Lowes did what they were supposed to then the paint wouldn’t have spilled. It doesn’t matter where you put the paint. The lid wasn’t secured.”
@followfearfindbeauty I am stunned. What do I do? @Lowe’s ♬ original sound – Kelly-DIY-Design-Perfume
The Mary Sue has reached out to Kelly via email and to Lowe’s via its press email for more information.
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