One embodiment of the present invention is a method of regenerating an ion exchange medium having a bacterial population, comprising dissolving a salt formulation in water to create a brine and passing the brine through the ion exchange medium during a regenerating cycle, wherein the salt formulation comprises a food-grade acid, at least about 100 ppm of a food-grade surfactant, and at least about 90 wt. % of an inorganic, water-soluble salt of sodium, potassium, or sodium and potassium and wherein the acid and the surfactant are present in the brine in an amount efficacious to kill at least about 65% of gram negative bacteria in the bacterial population as a result of the regenerating cycle.