Living in a tidy home is nice. However, many of us overdo their household cleaning, wasting time and valuable resources. Here are ten chores you only need to do once a year.

Cleaning Behind Appliances

You don’t have to move around those heavy appliances every month. However, as dust piles up beneath and under them, it’s a good idea to move them once a year to get rid of all dust and grime.

Upholstery Cleaning

Unless you have to get rid of unexpected stains, you don’t need to clean upholstery more often than once a year. This yearly cleaning will keep everything look like new for a long time.

Clean Blinds And Curtains

Oftentimes overlooked, window treatments require your attention, as they accumulate a lot of dust, spider cobs, pollen, and other airborne allergens. Clean them once a year to keep your home allergen-free.

Dust Lighting Fixtures And Ceiling Fans

Lighting fixtures and ceiling fans are hard to reach. However, you should do your best to wipe them down every year, in order to get rid of all that dust piling upon them.

Deep Clean The Carpets

Although the weekly vacuuming should be enough to remove dirt from carpets, you need to undergo an in-depth cleaning once a year, to get rid of the tough dirt and grime that tends to pile up between the carpet fibers.

Clean Out Kitchen Cabinets And Drawers

Kitchen cabinets and drawers require your attention, mainly because they tend to become the ultimate storage solution in emergency situations. By cleaning them once a year, you can keep them neat and organized.

If you have a grease trap installed in your kitchen, clean it and don’t let it and wait for it to full. Call a grease trap pumping service to clean it for you.

Thorough Cleaning Of The Linen Closet

Wipe down your linen closet once a year to remove dust and to get rid of items you no longer need.

Organizing Paper And Electronic Files

Every year, go through your paper and electronic files, archive some and discard the ones you don’t need any longer.

Garage Cleaning

Avoid turning your garage into a huge warehouse by cleaning it once a year.

Air Ducts Vacuuming

If you don’t tend to your air ducts, they may become clogged. Clean them every year to keep them in good standing.

Deep cleaning your kitchen regularly guarantees good hygiene. It is easy and enjoyable to cook meals in a clean kitchen. In addition, cleaning your kitchen appliances increases their lifespan. A dirty kitchen attracts pests, which spreads diseases. Therefore, it is important to keep your kitchen all the time.

Here is how to intensely clean a kitchen.

Kitchen Sink

Stainless Steel Sink – Dampen your stainless steel sink. Coat it evenly with baking soda. Use an old toothbrush to scrub it gently but firmly. Rinse your sink.

Ceramic Sink – Wash your ceramic sink with warm water, washing up liquid, and a clean cloth. Rinse it. Spray it with a bleach-based cleaner. Leave it for a few minutes. Rinse it. Apply a cleaning agent to scuffed, scratched, or stained areas. Use a sponge or soft kitchen scrubber to scrub it gently in a circular motion. Rinse it.

Dishwasher

Empty the dishwasher and put a cup full of white vinegar to remove limescale. Then, run a full clean cycle. Soak the filter in warm, soapy water. Use a toothbrush to scrub the filter. Scrubbing it removes any residue. Replace the filter in the dishwasher. Coat the bottom of your dishwasher evenly with baking soda. Leave it overnight. Then, run a full clean cycle early in the morning.

Kitchen Floors

Vinyl Linoleum Kitchen Floors – Clean any debris from the floor. Mix a tablespoon of cleaning agent and a cupful of white vinegar in a large bucket. Scrub the floor with the mixture using a mop with nylon scrub bristles. Then, wring out the mop with warm water. And use it to rinse the floor. Use the mop to soak up any excess water.

Hardwood Kitchen Floors – Clean any debris from the floor. Dilute a wood cleaning product following the directions provided. Saturate a sponge or rag mop in the mixture. Wring it until it is damp. Use it to mop the floor carefully. Do not leave any puddles of the solution. To avoid damaging the floor, wipe up any excess liquid.

Tiled Kitchen Floors – Clean any debris from the floor. Use white vinegar to lightly spritz the floor. Use a damp mop to mop the floor. Use a steam cleaner to remove stubborn stains.

Countertop and Cabinets

Remove all the clutter from countertops. Remove countertops appliances. Spray your countertop with a kitchen cleaner. Wipe it clean. And dry it well. To make granite shine, use a glass cleaner. Wipe down the exteriors of the cabinet. Use furniture polish to polish wood cabinet.

Don’t forget to clean your grease trap if you have. Best to handle it from a pro. Indianapolis grease trap pumping can help you with it.

These are the best ways to intensely clean your kitchen.

CEDAR RAPIDS – When Kathy Harwood looks outside her home of the past 31 years, what she sees is far from ideal.

“I try not to look outside,” said Harwood, who lives at the corner of 18th Street and 6th Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids, at the eastern edge of the Wellington Heights neighborhood.

In recent days, someone vandalized the signs outside her door, along with the garage of another property at that intersection.  Stop signs tagged with ‘VL’ and a garage with the words “VICE LORD” spray-painted in black, for all to see.

The “Vice Lords” are the name of a well-known, Chicago-based gang that was formed about 50 years ago.

“It’s a little disturbing,” said Harwood.  “It seems like it’s creeping up a little more and a little more.  It makes me not want to leave the house empty.  I’m a little more nervous of going out to the car in the dark.”

A KCRG-TV 9 viewer emailed images of the vandalism a few days ago, asking what the city would do about the problem.  We contacted Cedar Rapids Police on Thursday but, given the holiday, have not received a response from investigators. 

Amazing Grace Jambibi, 16, was walking in front of the vandalized house on Thursday afternoon with her 9-year-old brother and 4-year-old sister.

“They shouldn’t be doing this,” said Jambibi.  “Little kids are walking around.” 

She said that she doesn’t believe police, who do patrol the neighborhood frequently, can do much about the problem.

“Ignore it, try not to encourage it and just stay out of this mess.”

UPDATE: Cause of fire and total damage

IOWA CITY — Iowa City firefighters said the cause of a small fire at Takanami restaurant Tuesday morning was due to spontaneous combustion. spontaneous combustion.

Fire crews responded to the restaurant at 217 Iowa Avenue at 9:14 a.m. after an automatic alarm was set off. Upon arrival, there were no visible flames, but there was a smell of smoke and the building’s sprinkler system had been activated.

After investigating, fire crews determined a small fire had started in a back office of the restaurant, but was extinguished by a single sprinkler.

According to a release from the Iowa City Fire Department, the cause of the fire was determined to be spontaneous combustion of kitchen towels in a linen basket. The total damage to the building was estimated at $5,000.

Original story posted Nov. 23 at 10:19 a.m.

IOWA CITY — A small fire was extinguished at Takanami Restaurant by the building’s sprinkler system Tuesday morning.

Emergency crews were dispatched to 217 Iowa Avenue in Iowa City at 9:14 a.m. after an automatic alarm was set off. Upon arrival, there were no visible flames, but there was a smell of smoke and the building’s sprinkler system had been activated.

After investigating, fire crews determined a small fire had started in a back office of the restaurant, but was extinguished by the sprinkler system.

Battalion Chief Dan Smith said there was minor water damage to the office, but no further damage to the building. No one was injured in the incident.

Iowa City fire crews responded to Takanami Restaurant, 217 Iowa Ave., in Iowa City at 9:14 a.m. Tuesday after an automatic alarm was set off. It was discovered a small fire had started in a back office and was extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system. (Clark Cahill/SourceMedia Group News)

Robert Burke, 43, principal of Sageville Elementary School in Dubuque, has been arrested on charges of downloading child pornography. During an interview, Burke also admitted to putting a video camera in the boy’s bathroom at his school.

Burke will appear in Cedar Rapids federal court at 4 p.m. Stay tuned for more information.

Full press release below.

Principal Claims to Have Secretly Video-Recorded Students in the Bathroom

Robert Burke, age 43, from Dubuque, Iowa, has been charged with one count of receipt of child pornography.  The charge is contained in a Complaint filed today in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.

The Complaint alleges that, between about January and June 2011, Burke used a computer and the Internet to receive images of child pornography.  The Complaint alleges that, on April 10, 2011, an FBI agent in Washington D.C., downloaded eight depictions of child pornography from a computer that was later traced to Burke’s residence.

The Complaint also alleges Burke is the principal at Sageville Elementary School in Dubuque County.  The Complaint further alleges that, during an interview on June 3, 2011, Burke stated he had placed a hidden video camera in a boys’ bathroom at this school, and the camera had produced video images of students who were using the bathroom.  Burke allegedly stated he had not touched any children in a sexual manner.  The Complaint alleges law enforcement agents have not had the opportunity to perform a forensic examination of Burke’s computer and other electronic evidence seized on June 3, 2011, and the government does not, at this time, have evidence to contradict Burke’s statement that he had not touched any children in a sexual manner.

United States Attorney Stephanie M. Rose urged parents and anyone with concerns or information regarding this investigation to call the United States Attorney’s Office at (319) 363-6333.  Callers should ask to speak with Victim-Witness Coordinator Shari Konarske.

If convicted, Burke faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and supervised release following any imprisonment for at least 5 years and up to life.

-more-

Burke’s first appearance in federal court in Cedar Rapids for an initial appearance is set for today at 4:00 p.m.

As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 11-MJ-124

A Coralville bank has filed a lawsuit against famed former University of Iowa Hawkeye turned businessman and entrepreneur Tim Dwight accusing him of failing to pay off a $226,100 business loan.

According to the lawsuit filed Wednesday in Johnson County District Court, Coralville-based Liberty Bank F.S.B. loaned Dwight the more than $226,000 on March 26, 2010, evidenced by a business loan agreement.

The loan agreement matured on Sept. 5, 2011, according to the lawsuit, and the entire amount of the loan and all accrued interest became fully due on that September date.

Dwight, according to the lawsuit, “is in default on the loan agreement by failing to make payments when due.” Pursuant the default provisions of the loan agreement, Liberty Bank can accrue interest at a rate of 18 percent, the lawsuit states.

The bank on Feb. 2 demanded Dwight make a full and immediate payment of all amounts due under the loan agreement, according to the lawsuit.

“Despite demand, the defendant failed to pay,” the lawsuit states.

As of April 4, according to the lawsuit, Dwight owes the bank $216,820 in principal, $12,900 in accrued, unpaid interest and interest after that date of $108.41 a day. The bank is asking a judge to order Dwight to pay those amounts plus the cost of the legal action, attorneys fees and other associated costs.

The Gazette couldn’t reach Dwight for comment Friday. An attorney for the bank didn’t comment about the reason for the loan or about the difficulties in getting Dwight to pay it off. An attorney representing Dwight in some of his business ventures didn’t comment on the lawsuit.

Dwight, an Iowa City native and famed Hawkeye football star who went on to play professional football for five football teams including the Atlanta Falcons and San Diego Chargers, now is a businessman and entrepreneur.

Dwight has a stake in numerous businesses and real estate ventures both in and outside Iowa. He owns iPower, a California solar energy company, and he owns a yoga studio in Iowa City.

According to the Secretary of State’s Office, Dwight is the president of 6 Corp, which owns the building on Dubuque Street that houses Hill Mopeds & Scooters .

He also founded the Tim Dwight Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps children and young people and has donated to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.

Dwight in May 2011 contributed $50,000 toward the purchase of a new state-of-the-art mobile scoreboard for the UI’s track and field facilities, according to the UI Foundation.

A University of Iowa vehicle damaged in an explosion sits outside of the loading dock area on the southside of Van Allen Hall Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2010 in Iowa City. UI Department of Public Saftey Director Chuck Green said UI Department of Physics and Astronomy instuctor designer, Dale E. Stille, filled eight balloons, four with hydrogen and four with a hydrogen/oxygen mix, then placed them in a university vehicle. Officers said when Stille opened the car’s side door, an explosion resulted.Stille intended to transport the balloons to an off campus location for an educational event where they would have caused the balloons to explode. (Matt Nelson/ SourceMedia Group News)

Updated information:

Dale Stille is resting at home Wednesday after sustaining burns to his eyes.  A representative for Stille told SourceMedia Group that Stille was told his eyes “should be okay.”  Stille declined an interview to discuss what happened Tuesday morning at Van Allen Hall.

Update by John McGlothlen, linking to UI profile page for Dale Stille:

A profile and photo of Dale Stille appeared in the April 6, 2009 edition of the University of Iowa’s periodical, fyi: Faculty and Staff News. The article notes,

For the past 23 years, Stille has coordinated instructional resources and outreach activities for the Department of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Iowa.

Stille listed “the hydrogen/oxygen balloon explosions” among his favorite demonstrations.

Original post:

POLICE CORRECTION: NOT A PROF — a staff member, Dale E. Stille. Correct name now confirmed. (Police originally said Edwin D. Stille)

IOWA CITY — University of Iowa police dispatch received a report of a possible car break-in this morning — but once on scene discovered evidence of an explosion.

UI Department of Public Saftey Director Chuck Green said  UI Department of Physics and Astronomy instuctor designer, Dale E. Stille, filled eight balloons, four with hydrogen and four with a hydrogen/oxygen mix, then placed them in a university vehicle.  Officers said when Stille opened the car’s  side door, an explosion resulted.

The actual explosion was not reported to police, but the car damage resulting from the blow was.  Officers said they believe the explosion occurred at approximately 7:30 a.m., this morning.

The reported explosion damaged the vehicle and caused possible first and second degree burns to Stille. Police said Stille was originally taken to Mercy Hospital by a private vehicle then transferred to the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics Burn Unit.

UI police said they interviewed Stille at the hospital for more information on the incident.

Witnesses reported to police that Stille intended to transport the balloons to an off campus location for an educational event where they would have caused the balloons to explode.

Campus police said Bruce McAvory, the UI fire safety coordinator, the Iowa City Fire Department and investigators with the State Fire Marshal all responded.

A University of Iowa vehicle damaged in an explosion sits outside of the loading dock area on the south side of Van Allen Hall Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2010, in Iowa City. UI Department of Public Saftey Director Chuck Green said UI Department of Physics and Astronomy instructor designer, Dale E. Stille, filled eight balloons, four with hydrogen and four with a hydrogen/oxygen mix, then placed them in a university vehicle. Officers said when Stille opened the car’s side door, an explosion resulted. Stille intended to transport the balloons to an off-campus location for an educational event where they would have caused the balloons to explode. (Matt Nelson/ SourceMedia Group News)

An Iowa City West High senior who on Feb. 1 signed a letter of intent to play Division 1 football at Iowa State University was arrested last week on suspicion of stealing two hats from Scheels at the Coral Ridge Mall.

Store personnel inside Scheels saw Charles Rogers, 18, of Iowa City, pick up two hats about 1:50 p.m. March 15 and hide them in an American Eagle bag he was carrying, according to a police report. Rogers left the store without paying, according to police, and was contacted by authorities.

Rogers was cooperative, police reported, and he now faces a charge of misdemeanor theft.

He’s scheduled to appear in court on the charge April 19.

Rogers, a 6-2, 190-pound quarterback, chose to sign with Iowa State over Minnesota and Northern Illinois earlier this year.

In Iowa State’s online signing-day coverage, Rogers is listed as a three-star recruit and ranked as third best prospect among in-state class of 2012 prospects. He was named a Des Moines Register Elite All-State honoree and earned first team All-Class 4A from the Register and Iowa Newspaper Association.

In 2011, Rogers threw for 2,128 yards and 18 touchdowns, completing 58.4 percent of his passes, according to Iowa State. He also was the leading rusher for the Trojans, posting 1,191 yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground, according to the university.

Rogers also competes in track and field for West High, a spring sport that began Feb. 13.

West High Athletic Director Marv Reiland said he didn’t know anything about Rogers’ arrest until contacted by The Gazette on Thursday. Rogers is out of school this week, Reiland said, but he’ll talk with the student about the issue when he returns.

Reiland said he can’t comment about any sort of penalties Rogers might face at school if convicted of the theft charge.

“But it doesn’t matter who the student is, if there is a violation of our conduct code, there are consequences,” he said.

RYAN – Authorities arrested a Ryan woman after they say she shot and killed her husband at their home late Sunday evening.

Revette A. Sauser, 42, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 59-year-old Terry L. Sauser.

Deputies were sent to the Sauser home at 420 South St. around 8:30 p.m. after a 911 call that a person had been shot. They found that Terry Sauser had been shot in the chest and was in critical condition.

Sheriff John LeClere said Terry Sauser was shot in the living room of the home and was unconscious but alive when authorities arrived. He died in an ambulance on the way to a hospital.

Court documents filed Monday said Revette Sauser “fired one shot from a .380 handgun into the chest of her husband, Terry Sauser.”

Terry Sauser was a volunteer firefighter in Ryan and was the owner of the 5 Alarm Store, a gas station in Ryan. LeClere also knew him personally, and said the tiny town is “shocked.”

“He and his family have been in business in Ryan for years and years and years,” LeClere said. “That’s why he was so well-known.”

Investigators have not said why the shooting took place, but the accused shooter did  put her thoughts on a social media website.

Revette Sauser posted several comments on Facebook about the recent death of her father, and alluded to “fighting” among family that followed. In another post on March 9, she complained about a comment she said her husband made.

“Not Understanding Why A Husband Has The Right To, tell Her what she can and cant wear…Dress up to make myself feel good about myself, and My husband thinks i had a Hot Date…..Whats Up with this Im not understanding this….,” Sauser wrote.

Nine days earlier, she wrote: “well well well I guess you might want to say I’m home….But not for long. Im going back to Illions to Live…..It sucks here, Husband dont understand whats doing on, it takes two to tangle and two to break it……I.’m tired of fighting all th etime, im getting up there in age, I want to be happy, and right now I’m not…..”

LeClere said he was not aware of any calls to the Sauser residence for domestic issues before Sunday.

One resident in the tiny town of 362 people didn’t know of any family trouble.

“I can’t  believe it, especially of him, he was a pretty good egg,” James Starr said.

But another close neighbor, who knew both, described one personal run-in with the accused shooter.

“She was just kind of hot-headed.  She’d cuss me out a few times for things I didn’t even do.  I told her off and she let me alone after that and she’d even say ‘good morning’ and ‘hi’ after that,” Harold Kelchen said.

An obituary provided by the family said Terry Sauser worked at AEGON in Cedar Rapids.  But community members knew him better as the operator of the hardware, convenience and liquor stores businesses located along Highway 13.  Neighbors said Rivette Sauser worked at the store as well.  Rivette Sauser was also a member of the volunteer fire department along with her husband.

During an initial appearance Monday, bond was set at $1-million dollars cash.  Sauser’s next court appearance on the first degree murder charges is now set for April 11^th.  However, preliminary hearings are normally waived when the county attorney files what’s called trial information.

Memorial Services for Terry Sauser are set for 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 7, 2011 at Peace Lutheran Church in Ryan.  Visitation will  be one hour prior to the start of services at the church.

Updated at 10:23 a.m. with comments from Sheriff John LeClere

Updated at 9:32 a.m. with mug

RYAN – Authorities arrested a Ryan woman after they say she shot and killed her husband at their home late Sunday.

Revette Sauser

Revette A. Sauser, 42, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 59-year-old Terry L. Sauser, according to the Delaware County sheriff’s office.

Deputies were sent to the Sauser home at 420 South St. around 8:30 p.m. after a 911 call that a person had been shot. They found that Terry Sauser had been shot in the chest and was in critical condition.

Sheriff John LeClere said Terry Sauser was shot in the living room of the home and was unconscious but alive when authorities arrived. He died in an ambulance on the way to a hospital.

Terry Sauser was a volunteer firefighter in Ryan and was the owner of the 5 Alarm Store, a gas station in Ryan. LeClere also knew him personally, and said the tiny town is “shocked.”

“He and his family have been in business in Ryan for years and years and years,” LeClere said. “That’s why he was so well-known.”

Revette Sauser posted several comments on Facebook about the recent death of her father, and alluded to “fighting” among family that followed. In another post on March 9, she complained about a comment she said her husband made.

“Not Understanding Why A Husband Has The Right To, tell Her what she can and cant wear…Dress up to make myself feel good about myself, and My husband thinks i had a Hot Date…..Whats Up with this Im not understanding this….,” Sauser wrote.

Nine days earlier, she wrote: “well well well I guess you might want to say I’m home….But not for long. Im going back to Illions to Live…..It sucks here, Husband dont understand whats doing on, it takes two to tangle and two to break it……I.’m tired of fighting all th etime, im getting up there in age, I want to be happy, and right now I’m not…..”

LeClere said he was not aware of any calls to the Sauser residence for domestic issues before Sunday.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was assisting the sheriff’s office with the investigation.

Ryan, population 362, is 36 miles northeast of Cedar Rapids.