We investigate the propagation of spin waves in two-component mixtures of one-dimensional Bose gases interacting through repulsive contact potentials. By using quantum Monte Carlo methods we calculate static ground-state properties, such as the spin susceptibility and the spin structure factor, as a function of the coupling strengths and we determine the critical parameters for phase separation. In homogeneous mixtures, results of the velocity of spin waves and of its softening close to the critical point of phase separation are obtained by means of hydrodynamic theory and a sum-rule approach. We quantify the nondissipative drag effect, resulting from the Andreev-Bashkin current-current interaction between the two components of the gas, and we show that in the regime of strong coupling it causes a significant suppression of the spin-wave velocity.