You can just clean off the sticky side it is easier. Foil tape is fine to protect a surface from heat like the underside of a rack ( rack shelf - foil tape- flex watt- tub) but covering the primary surface with foil so it is between tub and heat is not very useful, it will block the heat from the snakes enclosure making the heating system very poorly efficient. I don't know if it could cause over heating but I can see that as a possibility.