Here’s the thing your grandma probably told you: boiling kills everything. That’s 99% accurate. The 1% are those pesky spores (like Bacillus cereus in rice). They need pressure canning or 250°F for a full wipeout. But for day-to-day stuff? Boiling for 10 minutes is your gold standard.
And no, you don’t need a thermometer. If you see a rolling boil—big, active bubbles—you’re at 212°F. That’s the party temperature for bacteria death.