In previous research, it was found that the anhydride intermediates of a homopolymer and a terpolymer of maleic acid (PMA and TPMA, respectively) esterified citric acid (CA) in-situ on the cotton fabric under curing conditions. CA was thus transformed from a trifunctional crosslinking agent into one with a higher functionality and created a synergistic effect for crosslinking cotton cellulose. In this research, the performance of TPMA/CA as a nonformaldehyde durable press finish system applied to cotton fabrics by a pre-cure technique was evaluated. The cotton fabrics treated with TPMA/CA showed durable press performance and mechanical properties better than that treated with a low formaldehyde DMDHEU. The TPMA/CA-treated cotton fabric also demonstrated satisfactory home laundering durability.