Yes. Rinsing rice removes residual debris left on the rice, and it strips excess starch, which causes mushy rice with grains that stick together instead of cooking to a good texture separately. For the best end product, wash rice until the water runs clear. Most cooks accept three washes to be the bare minimum. The only time that you won't rinse rice is when you're cooking arborio or another rice for risotto or glutinous rice for a sticky rice dish.