Abstract: A method for inhibiting formation of hydrocarbon hydrates in mixtures of water and a hydrate-forming guest molecule involves adding an ion pair to the mixtures in an amount effective to inhibit formation of the hydrocarbon hydrates under conditions otherwise effective to form the hydrocarbon hydrates in the absence of the ion pair. In one non-limiting embodiment of the invention the ion pair includes a cationic component that may be a quaternary ammonium compound or an onium compound and a non-cationic counter-ion component that could be an anionic compound, a non-ionic compound and/or an amphoteric compound. Two specific, suitable non-cationic counter-ion components include sodium dodecyl sulfate and ammonium alkyl ether sulfate.