How to Remove Old Mylar Without Damaging Your Playfield

Mylar has been used to protect pinball playfields for decades, and most older machines have some Mylar somewhere on them — usually applied to high-wear areas like pop bumper skirts, shooter lanes, or around drain posts. After years or decades, that Mylar often turns yellow, lifts at the edges, or simply needs to come off so you can do something else with the playfield.

Removing it is one of the riskiest jobs you can do on a pinball playfield. Done carefully, it works. Done carelessly, it pulls paint and insert artwork with it, leaving permanent damage.

Here's how to give yourself the best chance of a clean removal.

Before you start, assess the situation honestly.

Mylar that's been on a clearcoated playfield (most machines from the early 1990s onward) is generally lower risk to remove. The clearcoat acts as a barrier between the Mylar adhesive and the artwork. Painted areas underneath are protected.

Mylar on an unclearcoated playfield — older Bally, Williams, Gottlieb machines from before the clearcoat era — is much higher risk. The adhesive bonds directly to the paint and inks. Removing the Mylar often means removing some of the artwork too.

Mylar over inserts is particularly risky. Many Williams machines have insert labels (the text and graphics on the insert plastics) that are essentially printed onto a separate surface, then placed on top of the insert. Mylar adhesive can grab these labels and lift them off entirely when removed.

If the playfield is in good condition under Mylar that's not causing visual problems, the safest decision is often to leave it alone. Mylar removal is not something to do casually.

A hair dryer with adjustable heat. Not a heat gun — those run too hot. A standard household hair dryer is right.

A plastic razor blade or thin plastic tool to get under the edge of the Mylar. Some people use a credit card or a soft plastic spudger. Avoid metal blades — they're too easy to slip and gouge the playfield.

Isopropyl alcohol (90%+) for cleaning up adhesive residue.

Soft cloths.

Plenty of patience. This is not a fast job.

Work on small sections at a time. Don't try to remove a large piece of Mylar in one go.

Warm a corner or edge of the Mylar with the hair dryer at medium heat for 30 seconds or so. You want it warm to the touch but not hot. Heat softens the adhesive.

Slide your plastic tool gently under the edge to lift a small section. Don't pry — let the warmth do the work.

Once you have a corner lifted, peel slowly, pulling back parallel to the playfield surface (very low angle, not perpendicular). Pulling at a sharp angle dramatically increases the chance of lifting paint.

As you peel, continue warming the Mylar just ahead of where you're pulling. Heat keeps the adhesive soft and reduces the force needed to lift it.

Move very slowly. If you feel resistance — stop. Reapply heat. Try again. Resistance means the adhesive is fighting you, which means it's more likely to take artwork with it.

As you peel, watch carefully:

If you see colour transferring to the underside of the Mylar — stop. The adhesive is bonded to the paint, and continuing will pull it up.

If insert labels start lifting — stop. These are very difficult to restore.

If the Mylar tears — that's actually fine, just inconvenient. Reheat from a different angle and try lifting the remaining piece.

If you encounter any of these signs and continuing would cause damage, your options are:

Leave the remaining Mylar where it is, accepting partial removal.

Get professional advice. A pinball restorer may have techniques for difficult areas.

Accept that the playfield was always going to need restoration work, and proceed with full removal knowing you're committed to a touch-up or clearcoat afterwards.

After Mylar is removed, there's almost always sticky residue left on the playfield. This needs to be cleaned off before you do anything else with the surface.

Isopropyl alcohol on a soft cloth is the standard approach. Work gently in small areas. The residue should dissolve and wipe away.

For stubborn spots, you can use a plastic razor blade at a very shallow angle to scrape adhesive — but only on clearcoated playfields and only with extreme care.

Some people use Goo Gone or similar adhesive removers. These work, but they can also affect clearcoat and inks, so test in a hidden area first.

This is a common scenario. Owners with old Mylar want to switch to a removable protector instead.

The same removal process applies. Get the Mylar off carefully, clean the residue, assess the surface, and decide whether to:

Fit the protector directly over the (now clean) playfield if the surface is in good shape.

Do touch-up work first if there's damage from the Mylar removal, then fit the protector.

The good news is that even if Mylar removal caused some damage, a fitted protector will hide most of it from view going forward and prevent further deterioration.

Everything described above is the reason many experienced collectors prefer protectors to Mylar.

A protector can be removed at any time, by anyone, in five minutes, with zero risk to the playfield. No heat, no plastic tools, no slow careful peeling. You unscrew the hardware, lift the protector off, and you're done.

Mylar — even applied yesterday — already carries removal risk. After years or decades, that risk grows considerably.

If you're choosing between them for a new installation, this difference matters. See our full comparison for the broader picture.

Removing old Mylar is possible but never risk-free. Work slowly, use heat, peel at a low angle, and stop the moment you see warning signs. On older machines especially, sometimes the right answer is to leave existing Mylar in place rather than attempt removal.

If you're planning the protection of a machine that doesn't have Mylar yet, our complete protection guide walks through your options — and our protector range shows what we make.