David E. Ross wrote:

I used to grow garlic in my garden (and might do it again). I would
separate the cloves and sun dry them on a table on my patio. Then I
would peel them and place them in a jar of olive oil. The oil would
prevent spoilage. When the last clove in the jar was used, I would
then use the oil, which would have a glorious taste of garlic.

Sometimes, garlic preserved in oil can be contaminated with salmonella
or botulism. This can be avoided by soaking the peeled cloves for
about 10 minutes in a mixture of half water and half lemon juice or
vinegar. Acid kills the bacteria responsible for either of those
contaminations.

But does it kill the spores too?

David