What happens during the regeneration process?

During the regeneration process the salt mixes with water making a brine solution. The brine solution flows through the softener resin inside the tank cleaning the hardness ions off the resin. The hardness ions that are built up on the resin are exchanged with the sodium ions The brine solution is flushed out during the slow and fast rinse. The softener resin inside the water softener is now clean and ready to hook back up.