The present invention relates to an additive, and its use for inhibiting nucleation, growth and agglomeration of gas hydrates by adding an effective amount of an inhibitor to a multiphasic mixture which tends to hydrate formation and consists of water, gas and optionally condensate, or to a drilling fluid which tends to form gas hydrates. Said inhibitor comprising dialkoxylated quaternary ammonium compounds of the formula 1 ##STR00001## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 are each independently radicals of the formulae--(B)--(O--A).sub.n--O--CO--R.sup.5 or --(A--O).sub.n--(C)--CO--O--R.sup.5, R.sup.3 is C.sub.1- to C.sub.30-alkyl or C.sub.2- to C.sub.30-alkenyl, R.sup.4 is an organic radical which optionally contains heteroatoms and has from 1 to 100 carbon atoms, R.sup.5 is an alkyl or an alkenyl, n is a number from 1 to 20, A is an alkylene group, B is an alkylene group, C is a C.sub.1- to C.sub.6-alkylene group and X is an anion, are used as gas hydrate inhibitors.