diff --git a/TODO.txt b/TODO.txt
index 0f755ed..743eb23 100644
--- a/TODO.txt
+++ b/TODO.txt
@@ -4,5 +4,4 @@ TODO:
 - update inventories when items are replaced:
 	- creative
 	- storage (chests, etc.)
-- update player inventories on login
 - fix top nodes disappearing with /replace_node command
diff --git a/api.lua b/api.lua
index 8911c86..3c1a17b 100644
--- a/api.lua
+++ b/api.lua
@@ -43,6 +43,82 @@ function cleaner.register_node_removal(src)
 	})
 end
 
+local function update_list(inv, listname, src, tgt)
+	if not inv then
+		cleaner.log("error", "cannot update list of unknown inventory")
+		return
+	end
+
+	local list = inv:get_list(listname)
+	if not list then
+		cleaner.log("warning", "unknown inventory list: " .. listname)
+		return
+	end
+
+	for idx, stack in pairs(list) do
+		if stack:get_name() == src then
+			local new_stack = ItemStack(tgt)
+			new_stack:set_count(stack:get_count())
+			inv:set_stack(listname, idx, new_stack)
+		end
+	end
+end
+
+--- Replaces an item with another registered item.
+--
+--  @tparam string src Technical name of item to be replaced.
+--  @tparam string tgt Technical name of item to be used in place.
+--  @tparam[opt] bool update_players `true` updates inventory lists associated with players (default: `false`).
+function cleaner.replace_item(src, tgt, update_players)
+	update_players = not (update_players ~= true)
+
+	if not core.registered_items[tgt] then
+		return false, S('Cannot use unknown item "@1" as replacement.', tgt)
+	end
+
+	if not core.registered_items[src] then
+		cleaner.log("info", "\"" .. src .. "\" not registered, not unregistering")
+	else
+		cleaner.log("warning", "overriding registered item \"" .. src .. "\"")
+
+		core.unregister_item(src)
+		if core.registered_items[src] then
+			cleaner.log("error", "could not unregister \"" .. src .. "\"")
+		end
+	end
+
+	core.register_alias(src, tgt)
+	if core.registered_aliases[src] == tgt then
+		cleaner.log("info", "registered alias \"" .. src .. "\" for \"" .. tgt .. "\"")
+	else
+		cleaner.log("error", "could not register alias \"" .. src .. "\" for \"" .. tgt .. "\"")
+	end
+
+	local bags = core.get_modpath("bags") ~= nil
+	local armor = core.get_modpath("3d_armor") ~= nil
+
+	-- update player inventories
+	if update_players then
+		for _, player in ipairs(core.get_connected_players()) do
+			local pinv = player:get_inventory()
+			update_list(pinv, "main", src, tgt)
+
+			if bags then
+				for i = 1, 4 do
+					update_list(pinv, "bag" .. i .. "contents", src, tgt)
+				end
+			end
+
+			if armor then
+				local armor_inv = core.get_inventory({type="detached", name=player:get_player_name() .. "_armor"})
+				update_list(armor_inv, "armor", src, tgt)
+			end
+		end
+	end
+
+	return true
+end
+
 --- Registeres an item to be replaced.
 --
 --  @tparam string src Technical name of item to be replaced.
diff --git a/chat.lua b/chat.lua
index b781250..0e4a4dc 100644
--- a/chat.lua
+++ b/chat.lua
@@ -180,61 +180,6 @@ core.register_chatcommand(cmd_repo.node.cmd_rem, {
 	end,
 })
 
-local function update_list(inv, listname, src, tgt)
-	if not inv then
-		cleaner.log("error", "cannot update list of unknown inventory")
-		return
-	end
-
-	local list = inv:get_list(listname)
-	if not list then
-		cleaner.log("warning", "unknown inventory list: " .. listname)
-		return
-	end
-
-	for idx, stack in pairs(list) do
-		if stack:get_name() == src then
-			local new_stack = ItemStack(tgt)
-			new_stack:set_count(stack:get_count())
-			inv:set_stack(listname, idx, new_stack)
-		end
-	end
-end
-
-local function replace_item(src, tgt)
-	if not core.registered_items[tgt] then
-		return false, S('Cannot use unknown item "@1" as replacement.', tgt)
-	end
-
-	if core.registered_items[src] then
-		core.unregister_item(src)
-	end
-
-	core.register_alias(src, tgt)
-
-	local bags = core.get_modpath("bags") ~= nil
-	local armor = core.get_modpath("3d_armor") ~= nil
-
-	-- update player inventories
-	for _, player in ipairs(core.get_connected_players()) do
-		local pinv = player:get_inventory()
-		update_list(pinv, "main", src, tgt)
-
-		if bags then
-			for i = 1, 4 do
-				update_list(pinv, "bag" .. i .. "contents", src, tgt)
-			end
-		end
-
-		if armor then
-			local armor_inv = core.get_inventory({type="detached", name=player:get_player_name() .. "_armor"})
-			update_list(armor_inv, "armor", src, tgt)
-		end
-	end
-
-	return true
-end
-
 --- Replaces an item.
 --
 --  @chatcmd replace_item
@@ -255,7 +200,7 @@ core.register_chatcommand(cmd_repo.item.cmd, {
 		local tgt = src[2]
 		src = src[1]
 
-		local retval, msg = replace_item(src, tgt)
+		local retval, msg = cleaner.replace_item(src, tgt, true)
 		if not retval then
 			return false, msg
 		end
diff --git a/items.lua b/items.lua
index 85015e6..02cde65 100644
--- a/items.lua
+++ b/items.lua
@@ -41,26 +41,9 @@ core.register_on_mods_loaded(function()
 	for i_old, i_new in pairs(cleaner.get_replace_items()) do
 		cleaner.log("action", "registering item \"" .. i_old .. "\" to be replaced with \"" .. i_new .. "\"")
 
-		if not core.registered_items[i_old] then
-			cleaner.log("info", "\"" .. i_old .. "\" not registered, not unregistering")
-		else
-			cleaner.log("warning", "overriding registered item \"" .. i_old .. "\"")
-
-			core.unregister_item(i_old)
-			if core.registered_items[i_old] then
-				cleaner.log("error", "could not unregister \"" .. i_old .. "\"")
-			end
-		end
-
-		if not core.registered_items[i_new] then
-			cleaner.log("warning", "adding alias for unregistered item \"" .. i_new .. "\"")
-		end
-
-		core.register_alias(i_old, i_new)
-		if core.registered_aliases[i_old] == i_new then
-			cleaner.log("info", "registered alias \"" .. i_old .. "\" for \"" .. i_new .. "\"")
-		else
-			cleaner.log("error", "could not register alias \"" .. i_old .. "\" for \"" .. i_new .. "\"")
+		local retval, msg = cleaner.replace_item(i_old, i_new)
+		if not retval then
+			cleaner.log("warning", msg)
 		end
 	end
 end)