What is the correct way to use the Zerostat?

Lewm,

The argument was not over the "dust bug" but over whether or not Zerostats work. If the goal is to keep Static and dust off the record they do not, particularly if you do not use a dust cover. If you use the Zerostat and quickly drop the stylus and shut a dust cover you will have less dust on the record during playback but you would have to use the Zerostat immediately on opening the dust cover to keep the dust from flying to it and messing up the next playback. If most people do not use a dust cover it is mainly because their table was not supplied with one not because there is some magic audiophile mythology not too. It is my contention that because the dust cover lowers the volume surrounding the cartridge and tone arm that tables with a properly mounted dust cover sound better. If you have an un suspended table you can not mount the dust cover to the table which is why all mass controlled tables do not have a dust cover. You have to mount the dust cover to whatever the table is sitting on which makes things a bit more tricky. But you can order your cover here  https://stereosquares.com/ and you can get hinges here
https://www.fullcompass.com  and with a little elbow grease, a drill and some cyanoacrylate you can have a really nice hinging dust cover. Put felt pads under the corners so it does not rattle. 

I recently purchased a new Milty Pro Zerostat 3 and have been researching the most effective way to use it. The instructions on the box are lacking. It is obvious that just the act of playing a vinyl record, the stylus running through the grooves, creates static electricity. Depending on the atmospheric conditions at the time can affect it. After playing through a record, so much static electricity is created that the cork/rubber turntable mat comes off with the record and is stuck to it. Putting the record and mat back on the TT, I used the anti-static gun and it did not neutralize the charge. Either I am doing something wrong or the gun doesn't work.
The Milty gun came with a separated black plastic cap. It is NOT a light. From my research, putting the cap on and holding the gun near a grounded item, like a faucet, slowly pulling and releasing the trigger does nothing. Pulling and releasing it quickly, causing a click, I can see a spark jumping from the gun to the faucet.
Some types of record formats are more affected by static electricity than others. For instance, the CD-4 discrete quadraphonic format depends on a 30khz tone to split up the channels. Static electricity can reek havoc with this format, resulting in pops during playback. They are not always in the same places on the records, so I would think that this is caused by static electricity. The Zerostat 3 has had no effect on this.
Does anyone have any tips or pointers?
Thank you!

There is no correct way to use a Zerostat. The problem is once you start playing the record static builds up fast. The static charge is created by the stylus rubbing the groove. Even if you use a dust cover when you take the record back to it's sleeve it collects dust like a magnet. Hold a record you just played up to the light correctly and you can see the dust fly to the record. The only way to beat static electricity is to discharge the record while it is playing. So, if you don't want to stand over your record squeezing the trigger every 30 seconds the best solution is a conductive sweep arm like this one  https://www.sleevecityusa.com/Antistatic-Record-Cleaning-Arm-p/tac-01.htm. Also get rid of all your paper inner sleeves and get anti static plastic ones. Paper will hold a static charge.
Read about the triboelectric series here  https://www.school-for-champions.com/science/static_materials.htm#.XcFmJDNKiM8. You will notice that PVC is an electron magnet!

I bought a Zerostat in 1972 and still have it....albeit not used since the middle 80s. Back in the day I used the Zerostat and then lightly misted distilled water on the vinyl. Seemed quieter to me and it was fun.

After reading many threads here and elsewhere i have today taken delivery of a Milty ZeroStat brand new ...i hope it will see me out as i'm in my 50's