I am using the Zerostat by Dishwasher to rid my record of static. Period.... That's all this unit does and nothing more.I agree. What it does is to eliminate static which in turn would attract dust while the record is exposed.
The instructions with my Milty, btw, say to hold it 12 inches above the record, not the smaller distances which have been mentioned.
Those instructions do not address the question of whether or not the gun should be pointed at the record as the trigger is released. However, I recall that the instructions for the Diskwasher Zerostat that I used to have recommended three successive squeezes and releases, with the gun pointed away from the record only during the last of the three releases.
That procedure seems to make sense, as it would reduce the likelihood of either a positive or negative charge being left on the record, compared to a single squeeze or a single squeeze/release.
I choose to repeat those three cycles at each of three different points around the record, from a little closer than the 12 inches that is recommended in the version of the instructions that I have.
Regards,
-- Al