diff --git a/TODO.txt b/TODO.txt
index 5a6089a..94fbf99 100644
--- a/TODO.txt
+++ b/TODO.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
 
 TODO:
 - add chat commands to update cleaning in-game
-- add API
diff --git a/api.lua b/api.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f9bbbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+
+local replace_items = {}
+local replace_nodes = {}
+
+
+function cleaner.get_replace_items()
+	return replace_items
+end
+
+function cleaner.get_replace_nodes()
+	return replace_nodes
+end
+
+
+function cleaner.remove_entity(src)
+	core.register_entity(":" .. src, {
+		on_activate = function(self, staticdata)
+			self.object:remove()
+		end,
+	})
+end
+
+function cleaner.remove_node(src)
+	core.register_node(":" .. src, {
+		groups = {to_remove=1},
+	})
+end
+
+function cleaner.replace_item(src, tgt)
+	replace_items[src] = tgt
+end
+
+function cleaner.replace_node(src, tgt)
+	core.register_node(":" .. src, {
+		groups = {to_replace=1},
+	})
+
+	replace_nodes[src] = tgt
+end
diff --git a/changelog.txt b/changelog.txt
index 619fa94..0019bbf 100644
--- a/changelog.txt
+++ b/changelog.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 
+v1.2
+----
+- added API
+
 v1.1
 ----
 - uses "register_lbm" with "run_at_every_load" instead of "register_abm" to save resources
diff --git a/entities.lua b/entities.lua
index a0276e5..b47faed 100644
--- a/entities.lua
+++ b/entities.lua
@@ -46,10 +46,5 @@ end
 
 for _, e in ipairs(e_list.remove) do
 	cleaner.log("debug", "Cleaning entity: " .. e)
-
-	core.register_entity(":" .. e, {
-		on_activate = function(self, staticdata)
-			self.object:remove()
-		end,
-	})
+	cleaner.remove_entity(e)
 end
diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index cde2fe8..fd6715f 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ end
 
 
 local scripts = {
+	"api",
 	"entities",
 	"nodes",
 	"items",
diff --git a/items.lua b/items.lua
index b68bd04..8972d64 100644
--- a/items.lua
+++ b/items.lua
@@ -25,9 +25,13 @@ if i_file then
 	i_file:close()
 end
 
+for i_old, i_new in pairs(i_list.replace) do
+	cleaner.replace_item(i_old, i_new)
+end
+
 -- register actions for after server startup
 core.register_on_mods_loaded(function()
-	for i_old, i_new in pairs(i_list.replace) do
+	for i_old, i_new in pairs(cleaner.get_replace_items()) do
 		cleaner.log("action", "replacing item \"" .. i_old .. "\" with \"" .. i_new .. "\"")
 
 		if not core.registered_items[i_old] then
diff --git a/nodes.lua b/nodes.lua
index 8a03203..a5cc699 100644
--- a/nodes.lua
+++ b/nodes.lua
@@ -50,10 +50,7 @@ end
 
 for _, n in ipairs(n_list.remove) do
 	cleaner.log("debug", "Cleaning node: " .. n)
-
-	core.register_node(":" .. n, {
-		groups = {to_remove=1},
-	})
+	cleaner.remove_node(n)
 end
 
 core.register_lbm({
@@ -67,10 +64,7 @@ core.register_lbm({
 
 for n_old, n_new in pairs(n_list.replace) do
 	cleaner.log("debug", "Replacing node \"" .. n_old .. "\" with \"" .. n_new .. "\"")
-
-	core.register_node(":" .. n_old, {
-		groups = {to_replace=1},
-	})
+	cleaner.replace_node(n_old, n_new)
 end
 
 core.register_lbm({
@@ -80,7 +74,7 @@ core.register_lbm({
 	action = function(pos, node)
 		core.remove_node(pos)
 
-		local new_node_name = n_list.replace[node.name]
+		local new_node_name = cleaner.get_replace_nodes()[node.name]
 		local new_node = core.registered_nodes[new_node_name]
 		if new_node then
 			core.place_node(pos, new_node)