That sweet, botanical smell of postcleaning satisfaction isn’t the reward you think it is.

The use of common indoor cleaners, specifically the ones with so-called “natural” citrus and pine scents like Lysol or Pine-Sol, may raise the level of indoor pollution comparable to what’s seen “next to a busy road,” researchers told The Post.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has made cleanliness a top priority in countless American households, researchers worry about the unseen, little-understood risks of our growing obsession with cleanliness indoors “because we’re here 90% of our time,” Indiana University researcher Colleen Marciel Rosales told The Post.

Rosales worked with co-authors Philip Stevens and Purdue University’s Brandon Boor in the study published in Science Advances last month, which found that the use of such commercial cleaners “resulted in respiratory-tract-deposited dose rates comparable to or exceeding that of inhalation of vehicle-associated aerosols.”

The harmful effects of heavy particle pollution — think car exhaust or smoke — on our respiratory system are well known, but insidious “secondary” pollution, the byproduct of a chemical reaction between two airborne elements, may loom. And these dangerously small particles could leave long-lasting effects on the body, researchers fear.

The aromatic compound subjected to study, called limonene, is found in a vast array of scented products, from soaps to hairspray. The substance — a type of terpene, which gives essential oils their therapeutic smell — emits a pleasant citrusy scent.

“Anything that’s citrus-scented or pine-scented would have these components,” Rosales told The Post.

Researchers simulated real-world cleaning conditions, using the terpene-based household cleaner (similar to Pine-Sol or Lysol) as their medium — following the instructions provided on the product container and mopping for 12 to 14 minutes in a ventilated room about the size of an office.

Measuring smaller than 100 nanometers, the particles they detected after mopping are the result of a clash between terpenes, which are a type of volatile organic compound (VOC), and ever-present ozone (O3), a naturally occurring oxidant in the air, as well as hydroxyl (OH), often used as a component of air purification systems — ironically, an additive intended to eliminate odors.

That’s small enough to “travel deep into our respiratory systems … [and] translocate to our brain,” said Boor.

Exposure to VOCs has previously been linked to respiratory illness, skin irritation, headaches, organ damage and even cancer, and they’re virtually inescapable at home.

“There’s probably a lot more household products that could lead to the formation of particles,” said Rosales. The vast array of VOCs can be found in every sort of product involved in building, painting, mending, cleaning or refreshing the home; cigarettes, candles and incense; and products used for personal hygiene, like cosmetics and, of course, your pricey perfume.

Researchers are concerned that they may be doing their damage while inhaled as secondary pollution, especially those with the sorts of jobs where VOCs are most present — mechanic and repair occupations, construction and extractive trades, and cleaning and building services — all of which report higher rates of asthma, chronic bronchitis, coughing and wheezing, according to occupational health reports.

Not to mention, those of us who love a freshly mopped kitchen.

“There’s a reason why we are drawn to these products … They do have a pleasant aroma,” said Boor.

The solution to avoiding this type of pollution is a complicated one. As Stevens noted, opening a window “could make it worse” by inviting more ozone into the space, while high-efficiency air filters, which take time to cycle out the pollution they’re sucking in, won’t be an immediate help.

Rosales suggested a simple prophylactic that many homes are well-stocked with: “For the person mopping, they may want to wear masks.”